The Parliament of Karachay-Cherkessia unanimously approved Murat Argunov’s candidacy for the post of prime minister of the republic on 24 September. He previously held the posts of Minister of Industry and Energy and Minister of Industry and Trade.

Since 2016, Aslan Ozov has been the prime minister of the republic.

“Today (on September 24) at the faction we discussed with you the priority tasks facing the Government of Karachay-Cherkessia. Of course, the timely and high-quality implementation of these tasks depends on the close interaction of the deputy corps and the regional government, which I very much count on. Today we will start realising the goals and tasks that you, Rashid Borispievich, set before us,” said Murat Argunov, assuring that he will make every effort to implement them in an effective and timely manner.

Murat Argunov was born in 1982 in the village of Kosh-Khabl, Khabez district of Karachay-Cherkessia and in 2005 graduated from Stavropol State University with a degree in economics. After graduating from the university, he worked in the office of the Russian Agricultural Bank in the village of Khabez as a senior and leading economist; from 2007 to 2015, he served as executive director of the Khabez gypsum plant OJSC. In 2015, Argunov moved to the republic’s government, and held the posts of Minister of Industry and Energy and Minister of Industry and Trade. Argunov is a member of the ruling United Russia party. He was appointed acting Prime Minister of Karachay-Cherkessia, according to the website of the government of the republic.

On August 28, Vladimir Putin presented candidates for the post of head of Karachay-Cherkessia. The candidates were the current head of the region, Rashid Temrezov, who has been leading the federal republic since 2011, as well as deputies of the Legislative Assembly from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Oleg Zhedyaev and "Fair Russia" Renat Akbaev. On September 19, the deputies of the parliament of Karachay-Cherkessia unanimously re-elected Rashid Temrezov as the head of the federal republic for a new term.