Yunus-bek Yevkurov

Yunus-bek Bamatgireyevich Yevkurov Юнус-бек Баматгиреевич Евкуров
Yunus-bek Yevkurov after receiving the Order of Military Merit award in 2009.
3rd President of Ingushetia
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 October 2008
Preceded by	Murat Zyazikov
Personal details
Born	23 July 1963 Tarskoye village, Prigorodny District, North Ossetian ASSR, Soviet Union
Nationality	Ingush
Spouse	Khava Yevkurova
Awards	Hero of Russia Order of Courage Order of Military Merit Order of the Red Star Medal of Valour (2)
Military service
Allegiance	Soviet Union Russia
Branch/service	Russian Airborne Troops
Years of service	1982 – present
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	First Chechen War Kosovo War Second Chechen War

Yunus-bek Bamatgireyevich Yevkurov (Russian: Юнус-бек Баматгиреевич Евкуров) (23 July 1963) is the current president of the southern Russian republic of Ingushetia, appointed by president Medvedev on 30 October 2008. The following day, the Ingush Parliament voted in favor of Yevkurov's appointment, making him the 3rd President of Ingushetia. He is a career soldier, paratrooper, and Hero of Russia who was involved in numerous conflicts where Russia played a key role, including Kosovo (1999) and Chechnya.

Early life

Yevkurov, an ethnic Ingush, was born on July 23, 1963 into a peasant family, one of 12 children. He graduated from the same school that was later the scene of the Beslan massacre.

Military service

Yevkurov was conscripted 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 Military Academy of General Staff 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 into 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.

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.

Political career

On 30 October 2008, Yevkurov replaced the highly unpopular Murat Zyazikov as the President of Ingushetia. Zyazikov's dismissal and Yevkurov's appointment were received with much enthusiasm from the Ingush population.

Assassination attempt

On 22 June 2009, Yevkurov was seriously injured following a car-bomb attack on his motorcade in the city of Nazran at roughly 0820 local (0420 GMT). According to sources, a 4x4 rammed the Presidential motorcade at high speed, in what is believed to be a suicide bomb attack. Yevkurov is currently believed to be in a critical but stable condition in hospital. It is believed that one bodyguard was killed and three wounded, with Yevkurov's brother Uvais among the injured. Though no group has yet claimed responsibility, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused Islamist militants of carrying out the attack, condemning the "terrorist attack".