On 19 October 2026, the State Council of Tatarstan approved the appointment of Colonel General Alexander Lapin as deputy prime minister of the republic. Tatarstan head Rustam Minnikhanov signed the appointment decree the same day. Lapin had previously been appointed acting deputy prime minister on 29 September 2026.
The destruction of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station in the Kherson region of Ukraine, with further catastrophic consequences for the population, is a war crime on the part of the Russian authorities. This was stated by Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili.
“I strongly condemn another serious war crime committed by Russia. The horrific attack on civilian infrastructure - the Novokakhovka Dam - once again demonstrates Russia's brutal tactics. The answer to these war crimes must be justice. All of Georgia is together with Ukraine,” Zurabishvili wrote on the social network.
According to one version, the dam, which is under the control of Russia, was blown up, according to another, previous damage was the cause of the accident. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for what happened. Undermining the dam can lead to complications in the supply of the Russian army from the Crimea and the lack of drinking water there, as well as flooding of settlements on the left and right banks of the Dnieper.