On Friday, it was announced that President Vladimir Putin had proposed that the Kursk Regional Duma re-elect Mikhailov as governor. A source in the Kremlin explained that the governor had raised the question of confidence in early February. Mikhailov's press service was unable to specify the date of the application or explain the reasons for such a move, and Mikhailov could not be reached.

The governor received the go-ahead for re-election thanks to his “political loyalty,” says a source close to the regional administration. A month ago, he left the Communist Party and joined United Russia. “Mikhailov has proven himself to be a person who strictly carries out the will of the presidential envoy and does not contradict the federal authorities,” says the source. For example, in the 2003 State Duma elections, Mikhailov helped United Russia more than his party colleagues. The Communist Party representative agrees that Mikhailov changed his party card only to keep his governor’s seat. “He fully implements recommendations from above,” the communist states. But the envoy was taken by surprise by the news of Mikhailov’s appeal to the president, claims an employee of the envoy’s office. “Everything was decided unexpectedly and at the very top,” he states.

The deputies will most likely vote for or against Mikhailov on February 24, the press service of the regional Duma reported. The deputies with whom we managed to talk are confident that the governor will not have any problems.

The Kremlin is practicing “reforging” red governors using Mikhailov as an example – in exchange for leaving the Communist Party, they are allowed to stay in power for another term, believes Rostislav Turovsky from the Center for Political Technologies. “Mikhailov has not managed to distinguish himself with any great achievements, he is a weak manager and far from a charismatic leader,” the expert reasons. “That is why it did not take much effort for the Kremlin to lure him over to its side.” Nazim Efendiev, CEO of Ural Steel, which manages the largest enterprise in the Kursk region, the Mikhailovsky Mining and Processing Plant, has a different opinion about Mikhailov: “The governor is a very constructive person and has a good grasp of the situation in the region.”

The governor is for a long time