Incumbent leader of Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov today appointed lieutenant colonel Vladimir Pukhaev as the Russian-occupied region’s new “defense minister.”
Pukhaev, 40, had served since 2017 as a senior intelligence officer at the general staff of the S. Ossetian armed forces, Bibilov’s press service reported.
Before that, from 2007 to 2015 he worked at the “defense ministry” and in the 2005-2007 period he served at the Tskhinvali security committee (KGB).
Pukhaev was also a military contractor of the “defense ministry” from 2004 to 2005 and served at the “interior ministry’s” special purpose mobile unit (OMON) for four years since 2000.
The defense chief’s position became vacant on February 25, when Bibilov sacked Ibragim Gasseev over his bid to contend the Tskhinvali leader’s position in the April 10 “presidential elections.”
Bibilov had appointed Russian general Viktor Fedorov to serve as the acting defense chief in the meantime.
Also Read:
- Tskhinvali Runoff Race Slated for April 28
- Opposition Candidate Takes Lead in First Round of S. Ossetia Polls
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)