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Major General Mikhail Gudkov, the deputy head of the Russian Navy, has been killed in a strike near the Ukrainian border, Russia’s defence ministry confirmed. The incident occurred in the Kursk region, bordering Ukraine’s Sumy region, during what the ministry described as "combat work." No further details about the operation were provided.
Gudkov, appointed to the senior naval post by President Vladimir Putin in March, is one of the most high-profile Russian military figures to die since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of Russia’s Primorsky region, announced on Telegram that ten others were also killed in the incident, describing Gudkov as a loyal officer who died "carrying out his duty." Unconfirmed reports from Russian and Ukrainian military-linked Telegram channels suggest the deaths resulted from a Ukrainian missile strike on a Russian command post near Korenevo, approximately 30km from the border. Ukraine has not officially commented on the attack, in line with its policy of not confirming targeted strikes on Russian soil. Gudkov previously commanded the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, which saw heavy fighting in eastern Ukraine and Kursk. Footage from Vladivostok, home to Russia’s Pacific Fleet, showed mourners laying flowers at a makeshift memorial for Gudkov, who was awarded the Gold Star medal of Hero of Russia in 2023. This strike follows a pattern of high-profile attacks, with Ukrainian security sources previously claiming responsibility for similar operations, such as the killing of General Igor Kirillov in December 2024 and General Yaroslav Moskalik earlier this year. The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of orchestrating such attacks, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemning Kyiv’s alleged "terrorist activities." In Ukraine, officials reported two deaths and six injuries in a missile strike on Odesa’s port on Thursday. Earlier, an attack on an army recruitment centre in Poltava killed two and wounded nearly 50. The ongoing conflict continues to claim lives on both sides, with Ukraine’s 2024 offensive in Kursk marking a bold escalation. While Russian forces have largely repelled the incursion, Kyiv claims to retain control over small areas of the region.
