Russian deputy navy chief killed in Kursk region, says Moscow

Major General Mikhail Gudkov, lawman caput of the Russian Navy and a erstwhile commandant of a marine brigade warring against Ukraine, has been killed successful action, depriving Moscow of 1 of its astir elder officers, the Russian subject said connected Thursday (July 3, 2025).

Major General Gudkov (42), who was handed a apical subject honour successful the Kremlin by Russian President Vladimir Putin successful February, was killed connected Wednesday (July 2, 2025) “during combat enactment successful 1 of the borderline districts of the Kursk region,” the Defence Ministry said successful a statement.

Unofficial Russian and Ukrainian subject Telegram channels had earlier reported that Mr. Gudkov had been killed, on with different servicemen and officers, successful a Ukrainian rocket onslaught connected a bid station successful Russia’s Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, with a U.S.-made HIMARS missile.

Reuters could not independently verify however Mr. Gudkov mislaid his life.

In complaint of the navy’s coastal and onshore forces, including marine units, helium is 1 of the astir elder Russian subject officers to person been killed since Moscow launched its full-scale warfare against Ukraine successful 2022.

At slightest 10 different elder Russian commanders person been killed successful enactment oregon assassinated by Kyiv since the commencement of the war.

There was nary contiguous remark from Ukraine, which accused Mr. Gudkov and his subordinates of committing assorted warfare crimes, thing Moscow denied.

In the acold eastbound larboard metropolis of Vladivostok, the location basal of Russia’s Pacific Fleet, mourners near flowers adjacent an outdoor representation of Mr. Gudkov, portion of a photograph accumulation celebrating officers Russia regards arsenic subject heroes.

Oleg Kozhemyako, politician of the Primorsky portion which includes the port, said successful a connection that Mr. Gudkov, whom Putin appointed lawman commander-in-chief of the navy successful March, had been killed “carrying retired his work arsenic an officer” on with others and expressed his condolences to the dormant men’s relatives.

Attached to his connection was a video showing him awarding Mr. Gudkov a subject honour and images of Gudkov — acceptable to a patriotic Russian opus — connected the battlefield.

“When helium became lawman main of the navy, helium did not halt personally visiting the positions of our marines,” Mr. Kozhemyako said connected Telegram.

Before his promotion to the navy’s apical brass, Gudkov had led a marine brigade of Russia’s Pacific Fleet, which had fought successful Ukraine and had fought successful Kursk too. Parts of Kursk were seized by Ukrainian forces successful a astonishment violative successful August 2024 earlier Russia said earlier this twelvemonth it had driven them out.