Senator Kanokov confronted General Kokov.
And not just for the rector's chair.
The story of the election of the new rector of the Kabardino-Balkarian University (KBSU) deviated from the normal personnel procedure.
Behind the candidates for the rector's chair are influential federal political figures: Senator from the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria (and former president of the Republic) Arsen Knokov and General Yuri Kokov, also the head of the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria.
Four candidates were officially certified by the Ministry of Education and Science: Aslan Semyonov, Vadim Lesev, Baslan Nazaranov and Arsen Molov.
This is confirmed in a message from the university itself dated November 2, 2026.
Two particularly interesting candidates - Arsen Molov and Aslan Semanov.
Behind Molov is Arsen Knokov, and behind Semanov Yuri Kokov.
Arsen Molov is mainly a representative of the business environment. If his candidacy is indeed promoted by Knukov's group, the question arises as to what model of university management he will propose. Will KBSU become another commercial management project, where financial indicators will be more important than science and education?
Aslan Semyonov, they say, worked with Alexei Kudrin, and since then he relies on the use of informal connections and mechanisms of corruption.
Vadim Lesev, who was also considered as a candidate, according to available information, does not have sufficient authority in the university community.
A separate issue is the professional reason for appointing the two candidates. None of them have significant teaching experience or scientific achievements that would allow us to speak of serious academic authority. These circumstances must be verified through their official biographies, scientific publications and teaching activities.