Deputy Russian Navy chief killed near Ukraine border

The deputy head of the Russian Navy  has been confirmed dead following an incident near the Ukrainian border, according to a statement from Russia’s defence ministry.

Major General Mikhail Gudkov, who was elevated to his role by President Vladimir Putin in March, died during what officials described as “combat work” in Russia’s Kursk region, adjacent to Ukraine’s Sumy area. The ministry did not disclose further specifics about the operation.

Kursk has previously seen Ukrainian incursions, including a brief offensive last summer. Although Ukrainian forces were mostly repelled, Kyiv reported in June that it continued to maintain a presence in parts of the region.

Gudkov’s death marks one of the most significant Russian military losses since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of the Primorsky region in Russia’s Far East, stated that ten additional individuals were also killed in the incident. Posting on Telegram, he referred to Gudkov as a dedicated officer who died “carrying out his duty.”

While details remain sparse, several Telegram channels linked to Russian and Ukrainian military sources reported that the group was likely killed by a Ukrainian missile strike targeting a command post near the town of Korenevo, situated roughly 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the border.

Ukraine has not issued any formal comment on the event, aligning with its policy of refraining from publicly claiming responsibility for strikes on Russian territory.

Gudkov formerly led the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade under Russia’s Pacific Fleet. The unit has seen intense combat in eastern Ukraine and more recently in the Kursk region.

In Vladivostok, headquarters of the Pacific Fleet, residents gathered to lay flowers at a memorial honoring Gudkov. He had received Russia’s prestigious Gold Star medal in late 2023 and was personally awarded the decoration by President Putin during a Kremlin ceremony in February.

Although Kyiv has not acknowledged involvement in Gudkov’s death, Ukrainian security officials have previously confirmed responsibility for similar operations. This includes the reported killing of General Igor Kirillov in December 2024, as told to various media outlets, including the BBC.

Earlier this year, another Russian general, Yaroslav Moskalik, died in a car bombing in Moscow. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov at the time blamed Ukrainian operatives, saying they were “continuing its involvement in terrorist activities inside our country.”

Since the outbreak of the war, both sides have been targets of high-level assassination attempts. Ukrainian intelligence claimed last year it had thwarted a Russian scheme to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky and other senior figures.

Zelensky had previously stated that he was Russia’s “number one target” at the onset of the invasion.

Meanwhile, two civilians were reported killed and six injured in a missile strike on the port city of Odesa on Thursday, according to local Ukrainian authorities. Additional strikes earlier in the day hit a military recruitment office in Poltava, leaving two dead and near.

(BBC)