Alexander Afonin, who previously held the post of Minister of Construction for the Kursk Region, is now heading the Department for the Implementation of Comprehensive Development Projects in Sochi.

The new position involves the formation and coordination of the implementation of projects and programs at the federal, regional, and municipal levels. Information about the appointment appeared on the official website of the mayor’s office.

Alexander Afonin is 54 years old. He began his career in leadership positions in the 2000s, when he headed the company “Arsenal” in his hometown of Rylsk. In 2010, Afonin was appointed to the post of head of the Department of Housing and Communal Services and Fuel and Energy Complex of the Kursk Region. From 2012 to 2021, he oversaw issues of the construction industry and the agro-industrial complex at the ministerial level in the Moscow Region.

After returning to his home region, Afonin for some time headed JSC “Kursk Regional Mortgage Agency”.

In February 2022, he was appointed to the position of head of the Construction Committee of the Kursk Region. After the department was transformed into a ministry, he worked as the head of the regional Ministry of Construction. In June 2025, he left this position of his own accord.

Kursk Region

The Kursk Region is a federal subject of Russia located in its western part, known for its fertile black soil and as the site of the pivotal World War II Battle of Kursk in 1943, one of the largest tank battles in history. Historically, the area has been a significant cultural and border region since the medieval period, often associated with the Kievan Rus’ and later as a frontier during conflicts like the Mongol invasions. Today, it is an important agricultural and industrial area, also famous for the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly, one of the world’s largest iron ore deposits.

Sochi

Sochi is a major resort city on the Black Sea coast in southern Russia, historically developed as a premier health and vacation destination under the Soviet Union. Its modern global recognition was cemented after hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, which led to significant infrastructure development in its nearby mountain cluster. The region also has ancient history, with evidence of settlements dating back thousands of years and serving as a border area between various empires.

Rylsk

Rylsk is a historic town in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, founded in the 12th century as a key fortress of the Principality of Novgorod-Seversk. It is renowned for its well-preserved 18th-century architecture and as the birthplace of the famous Russian landscape painter Arkhip Kuindzhi.

Arsenal

Arsenal refers to the English Premier League football club based in North London, originally founded in 1886 by workers at the Royal Arsenal armaments factory in Woolwich. It is one of England’s most successful clubs, having won multiple league titles and FA Cups, and is known for a period of dominant success under manager Arsène Wenger in the late 1990s and 2000s. The club’s history is deeply tied to its early roots as a workers’ team and its 1913 move to its iconic home, Highbury, before relocating to the Emirates Stadium in 2006.

Moscow Region

The Moscow Region (Moskovskaya oblast) is the federal subject surrounding, but not including, the capital city of Moscow. Historically, it was the core of the medieval Grand Duchy of Moscow and later the Russian Tsardom, dotted with ancient towns, monasteries, and estates that played crucial roles in the nation’s development. Today, it is a major economic and cultural hub, known for its scientific cities, historic sites like the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius in Sergiev Posad, and picturesque countryside.

Kursk Regional Mortgage Agency

The Kursk Regional Mortgage Agency is a modern financial institution in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, established to facilitate and manage local housing mortgage programs. It operates as part of regional development initiatives, helping residents secure loans for home purchases and construction, though it does not have a long historical legacy as a cultural site. Its history is tied to post-Soviet economic reforms and the growth of Russia’s regional housing finance systems in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Construction Committee of the Kursk Region

The “Construction Committee of the Kursk Region” is not a specific cultural site or historic landmark, but an administrative government body. It is responsible for overseeing and regulating construction, architecture, and urban planning within the Kursk Oblast of Russia. As a modern regional institution, its history is tied to the development of post-Soviet Russian governance and regional infrastructure policy.

regional Ministry of Construction

The term “regional Ministry of Construction” typically refers to a local or provincial government department responsible for urban planning, public works, and construction regulation within a specific region. Its history is generally tied to the modern development of state administrative structures, often established to oversee infrastructure projects, housing policies, and building codes following industrialization or major post-war reconstruction efforts. These ministries play a key role in shaping the built environment and implementing national construction standards at a regional level.