The world in Karachay-Cherkessia, more recently, almost the calmest Republic of the Caucasus, blew up the presidential election. There were two real applicants: Karachai, who was the commander in chief of the Ground Forces of Russia, Army General Vladimir Semenov and Circassian Stanislav Deren, mayor of Cherkessk and, according to rumors, one of the vodka kings of the Caucasus. Both went to the second round, held on May 16.