Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
According to regional sources, he is being moved to a civilian advisory role instead.
According to regional sources, he is being moved to a civilian advisory role instead.
What is happening?
The Kremlin has reportedly dismissed Colonel General Alexander Lapin, a long-serving commander in Russia’s armed forces.
Lapin previously led the Northern Group of Forces and the Leningrad Military District, but his removal marks a sharp turn in Moscow’s handling of senior officers.
The decision was first reported by Russian outlet RBK on September 21.
Reports of a new civilian role in Tatarstan
While the Kremlin has not published an official decree, several regional sources suggest Lapin will resurface in the Republic of Tatarstan.
Local outlet Tatar-Inform claimed on September 19 that Lapin could take on a position assisting Tatarstan’s Head, Rustem Minnikhanov.
Business newspaper Vedomosti added that Lapin may soon serve as Minnikhanov’s advisor.
Responsibilities in recruitment and security
If confirmed, Lapin’s new role may center on overseeing recruitment for Russia’s armed forces and possibly addressing security threats linked to Ukrainian strikes.
Tatarstan is a vital hub for the Ministry of Defense, hosting both drone production in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone and recruitment for the MoD’s Africa Corps.
A career of rising commands
Lapin has held some of the most senior positions in the Russian military during the war in Ukraine.
He began as commander of the Central Grouping of Forces during the 2022 invasion, became Chief of Staff of the Russian Ground Forces in 2023, and then took charge of both the Leningrad Military District and Northern Group of Forces in 2024.
He was officially replaced in August 2025 by Colonel General Yevgeny Nikiforov.
Scapegoating after Kursk incursion
The timing of Lapin’s dismissal is striking. Analysts suggest it is linked less to his past battlefield failures and more to the Kremlin’s need to punish senior officials after Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024.
Russian authorities have also detained regional officials in border areas for mishandling fortifications, part of a broader blame-shifting campaign.
Putin’s reluctance to fire commanders
Traditionally, President Vladimir Putin has preferred reshuffling commanders rather than dismissing them outright. Lapin’s removal, therefore, signals a notable shift.
The Kremlin’s move suggests a deeper effort to hold generals publicly accountable after Russian forces failed to protect domestic territory.
Early failures in Kharkiv
Lapin’s reputation had already taken heavy damage in 2022. During Ukraine’s Kharkiv counteroffensive, Russian troops were forced to withdraw from Lyman.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and Wagner financier Yevgeny Prigozhin openly attacked Lapin for his failures, breaking with the usual silence around military performance.
Criticism from Kadyrov and Prigozhin
The rare public rebukes from Kadyrov and Prigozhin underscored the scale of Lapin’s failures.
They accused Russia’s command of ignoring the crisis around Lyman, a stark departure from the Kremlin’s typically tight-lipped stance on military leadership.
These criticisms lingered throughout Lapin’s later appointments.
Struggles in Kursk and beyond
More recently, Lapin commanded the Northern Grouping of Forces during Ukraine’s 2024 incursion into Kursk
Despite attempts to carve out a buffer zone in northern Kharkiv and Sumy, Ukrainian forces prevented Russia from securing lasting control.
This inability to safeguard Russian soil may have sealed his fate.
A symbol of the Kremlin’s accountability drive
Lapin’s removal highlights how the Kremlin is responding to mounting pressure from setbacks in Ukraine.
By dismissing him and punishing regional officials, Moscow signals that senior leaders will bear the blame for failures to defend Russian territory—even if they survived earlier controversies unscathed.
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, which may have used AI in the preparation
