Yunus-bek Yevkurov
Encyclopedia
Yunus-bek Bamatgireyevich Yevkurov is the current president of the southern Russia
n republic of Ingushetia
, appointed by President Dmitry Medvedev
on 30 October 2008. The following day, the Ingush Parliament voted in favor of Yevkurov's appointment, making him the third President of Ingushetia
.
He is a career soldier, paratrooper
, and Hero of the Russian Federation
who was involved in numerous conflicts where Russia played a key role, including Kosovo
(1999) and Chechnya
. On 22 June 2009, Yevkurov was seriously injured following a car-bomb attack on his motorcade in the city of Nazran
. On 23 October 2011, Yevkurov was again a target of an attack whilst on a national holiday.
As the president of Ingushetia
, he has been able to stabilize the crime situation and bring about positive social changes within the Russian republic.
, was born on 23 July 1963 into a peasant family, of 12 children, consisting of five sisters and six brothers. He graduated from the same school that was later the scene of the Beslan massacre
.
by the Soviet Army
in 1982, serving in the Naval Infantry of the Pacific Fleet. In 1989, he graduated from the Ryazan
School of Airborne Troops. Yevkurov continued his military education, graduating from the Frunze Military Academy in 1997 and from the General Staff Academy
in 2004.
In June 1999, Yevkurov was stationed in the Bosnian town of Ugljevik
with the Russian peacekeepers under the auspices of SFOR
. On 12 June, he led a task force
on a swift 500-km-long march, which aimed to secure the Pristina International Airport
ahead of the NATO troops, thus ensuring a Russian presence in Kosovo
after the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. This led to a standoff with NATO troops
.
Yevkurov has had various positions of command within the Russian Airborne Troops and has participated in counterterrorist operations in the North Caucasus
. During the course of the Second Chechen War
in 2000, he was in command of the 217th Guards
Airborne Regiment
(98th Guards Airborne Division
). While on a reconnaissance
mission, Yevkurov's team discovered a house where a group of captured Russian soldiers was held. Having neutralized the guards and infiltrated the building, the team was surrounded by Chechen reinforcements, resulting in armed combat. The Russian troops were able to break through the encirclement
while Yevkurov was providing cover
for the evacuation of the wounded. He personally carried a soldier to safety despite sustaining an injury himself. Twelve imprisoned soldiers were rescued. On 13 April 2000, Yevkurov, for his courage, was presented with the Hero of Russia award, the country's highest title of honor
.
In 2004, Yevkurov was appointed to be the Intelligence Division Deputy Commander of the Volga-Urals Military District
.
as the President of Ingushetia. Zyazikov's dismissal and Yevkurov's appointment were received with much enthusiasm from the Ingush population.
in the city of Nazran
at roughly 08:20 local time (04:20 GMT
). In the incident, a Toyota Camry
filled with explosives rammed the presidential convoy in what is believed to be a suicide bomb attack. One escorting policeman died on the spot; Yevkurov's driver and cousin Ramzan died a few days later in a hospital. Yevkurov's brother Uvais was among the injured. Yevkurov suffered a ruptured liver
, a severe concussion, and several cracked ribs, but was expected to survive following surgery. Yevkurov was then airlifted to a hospital in Moscow and was sent to intensive care with damage to his skull and internal organs, according to the New York Times.
Though no group has yet claimed responsibility, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
accused Islamist militants of carrying out the attack, condemning the "terrorist attack". Speaking on Russian television, Medvedev claimed that Yevkurov "did a lot to restore order ... and the bandits obviously didn't like that kind of activity". Russian news agency
RIAN
, quoting an unnamed Kremlin
source, reported that executive authority in Ingushetia has been temporarily transferred to the prime minister
, Rashid Gaisanov
, who became acting President by Russian presidential decree. The source claimed that "President [Medvedev] authorized Gaysanov to take operative management of the republic, and he has all the required authority for that". Gaisanov will remain the Acting President of Ingushetia until Yevkurov returns to office.
The attack followed other attacks on republic officials in June 2009. On 10 June, the deputy chief justice
of the Ingushetian Supreme Court
, Aza Gazgireeva, was gunned down in Nazran
shortly after dropping her children off at school, and on 13 June the former deputy prime minister
, Bashir Aushev
, was shot dead outside his home.
After the attack, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov
claimed the Kremlin had ordered him to fight insurgents in Ingushetia
, and during his subsequent visit to Ingushetia on 24 June pledged to revenge ruthlessly. On 4 July, a convoy of Chechen troops sent by Kadyrov into Ingushetia in response to the suicide bombing was ambushed by militants. The attack caused nine Chechen deaths, with 10 others severely wounded.
On 9 July, Ingushetia's Interior Ministry announced the arrest of several suspects, including the Chechen rebel commander Rustaman Makhauri
, allegedly involved in the attack on Yevkurov.
Yevkurov regained consciousness from a coma two weeks after the attack. Yevkurov was released from the hospital in Moscow on August 12, 2009, more than seven weeks after the attack, but continued to receive rehabiliation. Speaking to reports upon leaving the hospital, Yevkurov warned that "those who refuse to lay down their arms and surrender will be killed."
On August 17, 2009, in a radio interview after the 2009 Nazran bombing
Yevkurov accused the United States
, Great Britain
and Israel
of being behind the destabilization of the North Caucasus in order to "prevent Russia from reviving the former Soviet might".
By September, 2009, Yevkurov had returned to his position as president.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n republic of Ingushetia
Ingushetia
The Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...
, appointed by President Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
on 30 October 2008. The following day, the Ingush Parliament voted in favor of Yevkurov's appointment, making him the third President of Ingushetia
President of Ingushetia
The President of the Republic of Ingushetia is the highest office within the Government of Ingushetia.-Presidents of Ingushetia:*Ruslan Aushev *Murat Zyazikov *Yunus-bek Yevkurov...
.
He is a career soldier, paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
, and Hero of the Russian Federation
Hero of the Russian Federation
Hero of the Russian Federation is a Russian decoration and the highest honorary title that can be bestowed on a citizen by the Russian Federation. The President of the Russian Federation is the main conferring authority of the medal, which is bestowed on those committing actions or deeds that...
who was involved in numerous conflicts where Russia played a key role, including Kosovo
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
(1999) and Chechnya
First Chechen War
The First Chechen War, also known as the War in Chechnya, was a conflict between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, fought from December 1994 to August 1996...
. On 22 June 2009, Yevkurov was seriously injured following a car-bomb attack on his motorcade in the city of Nazran
Nazran
Nazran is a town in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia. It served as the republic's capital in 1991–2000, until the town of Magas was specially built as the new capital. Nazran is the largest city of the republic: -General:...
. On 23 October 2011, Yevkurov was again a target of an attack whilst on a national holiday.
As the president of Ingushetia
Ingushetia
The Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...
, he has been able to stabilize the crime situation and bring about positive social changes within the Russian republic.
Early life
Yevkurov, is an ethnic IngushIngush people
The Ingush are a native ethnic group of the North Caucasus, mostly inhabiting the Russian republic of Ingushetia. They refer to themselves as Ghalghai . The Ingush are predominantly Sunni Muslims and speak the Ingush language...
, was born on 23 July 1963 into a peasant family, of 12 children, consisting of five sisters and six brothers. He graduated from the same school that was later the scene of the Beslan massacre
Beslan school hostage crisis
The Beslan school hostage crisis of early September 2004 was a three-day hostage-taking of over 1,100 people which ended in the deaths of over 380...
.
Personal Life
Yevkurov married his wife Mareta on December 23, 2007. The couple have one son, born on November 1, 2008.Military service
Yevkurov was conscriptedConscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
by the Soviet Army
Soviet Armed Forces
The Soviet Armed Forces, also called the Armed Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Armed Forces of the Soviet Union refers to the armed forces of the Russian SFSR , and Soviet Union from their beginnings in the...
in 1982, serving in the Naval Infantry of the Pacific Fleet. In 1989, he graduated from the Ryazan
Ryazan
Ryazan is a city and the administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Oka River southeast of Moscow. Population: The strategic bomber base Dyagilevo is just west of the city, and the air base of Alexandrovo is to the southeast as is the Ryazan Turlatovo Airport...
School of Airborne Troops. Yevkurov continued his military education, graduating from the Frunze Military Academy in 1997 and from the General Staff Academy
General Staff Academy (Russia)
The General Staff Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was founded in 1936 in Moscow by Leonid Govorov. It was the senior Soviet and now Russian professional school for officers....
in 2004.
In June 1999, Yevkurov was stationed in the Bosnian town of Ugljevik
Ugljevik
Ugljevik is a municipality and town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The municipality located in the eastern foothills of Mount Majevica, in picturesque countryside, where wondrous and beautiful mountain starts descending towards the flatlands of Semberija, to which it is tied more than any other...
with the Russian peacekeepers under the auspices of SFOR
SFOR
The Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR...
. On 12 June, he led a task force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
on a swift 500-km-long march, which aimed to secure the Pristina International Airport
Priština International Airport
Pristina International Airport Adem Jashari is an international airport located southwest of Pristina, Kosovo. It is an international airport that handles over a million passengers per year, co-located with Slatina Air Base. It is under the authority of the Government of Kosovo and is the only...
ahead of the NATO troops, thus ensuring a Russian presence in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
after the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. This led to a standoff with NATO troops
Incident at Pristina
The Incident at Pristina was a confrontation between the NATO forces and Russian forces over the Pristina International Airport in the aftermath of the Kosovo War...
.
Yevkurov has had various positions of command within the Russian Airborne Troops and has participated in counterterrorist operations in the North Caucasus
North Caucasus
The North Caucasus is the northern part of the Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian Seas and within European Russia. The term is also used as a synonym for the North Caucasus economic region of Russia....
. During the course of the Second Chechen War
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War, in a later phase better known as the War in the North Caucasus, was launched by the Russian Federation starting 26 August 1999, in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade ....
in 2000, he was in command of the 217th Guards
Russian Guards
Guards or Guards units were and are elite military units in Imperial Russia, Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. The tradition goes back to the retinue of a knyaz of medieval Kievan Rus' and the streltsy, the Muscovite harquebusiers formed by Ivan the Terrible by 1550...
Airborne Regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
(98th Guards Airborne Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
). While on a reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
mission, Yevkurov's team discovered a house where a group of captured Russian soldiers was held. Having neutralized the guards and infiltrated the building, the team was surrounded by Chechen reinforcements, resulting in armed combat. The Russian troops were able to break through the encirclement
Encirclement
Encirclement is a military term for the situation when a force or target is isolated and surrounded by enemy forces. The German term for this is Kesselschlacht ; a comparable English term might be "in the bag"....
while Yevkurov was providing cover
Cover (military)
In military combat, the concept of cover refers to anything which is capable of physically protecting an individual from enemy fire. This differentiates it from the similar concept of concealment, in that an object or area of concealment only affords the benefit of stealth, not actual protection...
for the evacuation of the wounded. He personally carried a soldier to safety despite sustaining an injury himself. Twelve imprisoned soldiers were rescued. On 13 April 2000, Yevkurov, for his courage, was presented with the Hero of Russia award, the country's highest title of honor
Title of honor
An honorary title or title of honor is a title bestowed upon individuals or organizations as an award in recognition of their merits.Sometimes the title bears the same or nearly the same name as a title of authority, but the person bestowed does not have to carry any duties, possibly except for...
.
In 2004, Yevkurov was appointed to be the Intelligence Division Deputy Commander of the Volga-Urals Military District
Volga-Urals Military District
The Volga-Ural Military District was a military district of the Russian Ground Forces, formed on 1 September 2001 by the amalgamation of the Volga Military District and the Ural Military District. The headquarters of the Ural Military District, located at Yekaterinburg became the new headquarters...
.
Political career
On 30 October 2008, Yevkurov replaced the highly unpopular Murat ZyazikovMurat Zyazikov
Murat Magometovich Zyazikov is the former president of the southern Russian republic of Ingushetia. He was born in what is now Kyrgyzstan. Zyazikov was a controversial politician in Ingushetia.- Political Career :...
as the President of Ingushetia. Zyazikov's dismissal and Yevkurov's appointment were received with much enthusiasm from the Ingush population.
Attack
On 22 June 2009, Yevkurov was seriously injured following a car-bomb attack on his motorcadeMotorcade
A motorcade is a procession of vehicles. The term motorcade was coined by Lyle Abbot , and is formed after cavalcade on the false notion that "-cade" was a suffix meaning "procession"...
in the city of Nazran
Nazran
Nazran is a town in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia. It served as the republic's capital in 1991–2000, until the town of Magas was specially built as the new capital. Nazran is the largest city of the republic: -General:...
at roughly 08:20 local time (04:20 GMT
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
). In the incident, a Toyota Camry
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
filled with explosives rammed the presidential convoy in what is believed to be a suicide bomb attack. One escorting policeman died on the spot; Yevkurov's driver and cousin Ramzan died a few days later in a hospital. Yevkurov's brother Uvais was among the injured. Yevkurov suffered a ruptured liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
, a severe concussion, and several cracked ribs, but was expected to survive following surgery. Yevkurov was then airlifted to a hospital in Moscow and was sent to intensive care with damage to his skull and internal organs, according to the New York Times.
Though no group has yet claimed responsibility, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
accused Islamist militants of carrying out the attack, condemning the "terrorist attack". Speaking on Russian television, Medvedev claimed that Yevkurov "did a lot to restore order ... and the bandits obviously didn't like that kind of activity". Russian news agency
News agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
RIAN
Rían
In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, Rían was a woman of the First House of the Edain in the First Age. She was the daughter of Belegund of the House of Bëor and cousin of Morwen Edhelwen. Her son was Tuor Eladar and her great-grandson Elrond Half-elven.Rían was only a young child during...
, quoting an unnamed Kremlin
Kremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
source, reported that executive authority in Ingushetia has been temporarily transferred to the prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, Rashid Gaisanov
Rashid Gaisanov
Rashid Yakhyayevich Gaysanov , last name also spelled Gaisanov, is a Russian politician in the southern Republic of Ingushetia. He has served as the Prime Minister of Ingushetia under Ingush President Yunus-bek Yevkurov...
, who became acting President by Russian presidential decree. The source claimed that "President [Medvedev] authorized Gaysanov to take operative management of the republic, and he has all the required authority for that". Gaisanov will remain the Acting President of Ingushetia until Yevkurov returns to office.
The attack followed other attacks on republic officials in June 2009. On 10 June, the deputy chief justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Ingushetian Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Ingushetia
The Supreme Court of Ingushetia is the highest legal tribunal of the Russian subject of Ingushetia, which lies to the west of Chechnya.The Court has undergone a tragic period in the 2000s, with Deputy Chief Justice Khasan Yandiyev, being assassinated on April 13, 2008, and successor Aza Gazgireeva...
, Aza Gazgireeva, was gunned down in Nazran
Nazran
Nazran is a town in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia. It served as the republic's capital in 1991–2000, until the town of Magas was specially built as the new capital. Nazran is the largest city of the republic: -General:...
shortly after dropping her children off at school, and on 13 June the former deputy prime minister
Deputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both...
, Bashir Aushev
Bashir Aushev
Bashir Magometovich Aushev was a Russian-Ingush politician, who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Ingushetia from 2002 until 2008.Aushev served as Deputy Prime Minister under former Ingush President Murat Zyazikov. Zyazikov was a former Soviet K.G.B. agent, who was unpopular in Ingushetia...
, was shot dead outside his home.
After the attack, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov
Ramzan Kadyrov
Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov is the President of Chechnya and a former Chechen rebel.Ramzan is a son of former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov, assassinated in May 2004. In February 2007 Kadyrov replaced Alu Alkhanov as President, shortly after he had turned 30, which is the minimum age for the post...
claimed the Kremlin had ordered him to fight insurgents in Ingushetia
Ingushetia
The Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...
, and during his subsequent visit to Ingushetia on 24 June pledged to revenge ruthlessly. On 4 July, a convoy of Chechen troops sent by Kadyrov into Ingushetia in response to the suicide bombing was ambushed by militants. The attack caused nine Chechen deaths, with 10 others severely wounded.
On 9 July, Ingushetia's Interior Ministry announced the arrest of several suspects, including the Chechen rebel commander Rustaman Makhauri
Rustaman Makhauri
Rustaman Makhauri is a Chechen military commander and a close associate of Doku Umarov, the anti-Russian underground Chechen leader. Makhauri was appointed by Umarov as Minister of Defense; he is suspected of being responsible for a series of attacks against the forces loyal to the governments in...
, allegedly involved in the attack on Yevkurov.
Yevkurov regained consciousness from a coma two weeks after the attack. Yevkurov was released from the hospital in Moscow on August 12, 2009, more than seven weeks after the attack, but continued to receive rehabiliation. Speaking to reports upon leaving the hospital, Yevkurov warned that "those who refuse to lay down their arms and surrender will be killed."
On August 17, 2009, in a radio interview after the 2009 Nazran bombing
2009 Nazran bombing
The 2009 Nazran bombing occurred on 17 August 2009, when a suicide car bomber attacked police headquarters in Nazran, the largest city of the Republic of Ingushetia. At least 25 people were killed and 164 injured...
Yevkurov accused the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
of being behind the destabilization of the North Caucasus in order to "prevent Russia from reviving the former Soviet might".
By September, 2009, Yevkurov had returned to his position as president.
Honours and awards
- Hero of the Russian FederationHero of the Russian FederationHero of the Russian Federation is a Russian decoration and the highest honorary title that can be bestowed on a citizen by the Russian Federation. The President of the Russian Federation is the main conferring authority of the medal, which is bestowed on those committing actions or deeds that...
- Order of CourageOrder of CourageThe Order of Courage is a decoration presented by the government of the Russian Federation. Established in 1994, the order is presented for "acts of courage or self-sacrifice."- External links :* *...
- Order of Military MeritOrder of Military Merit (Russia)The Order of Military Merit is a military decoration of the Russian Federation. It was established by presidential decree on 2 March 1994...
- Order of the Red StarOrder of the Red StarEstablished on 6 April 1930, the Order of the Red Star was an order of the Soviet Union, given to Red Army and Soviet Navy personnel for "exceptional service in the cause of the defense of the Soviet Union in both war and peace". It was established by Resolution of the Presidium of the CEC of the...
- Medal of Valour, twice