Ukraine kills top Russian navy officer in Kursk strike, one of the most senior losses for Moscow yet

Gudkov is among the highest-ranking officers killed in the war so far. (Image: Yuri Smityuk/TASS)

In a major blow to Russia’s military leadership, Major General Mikhail Gudkov, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, was killed in a Ukrainian strike in Russia’s Kursk region, a top Russian official confirmed on July 3 as per a Reuters report.

The strike, reportedly targeting a Russian command post in the border district of Korenevo, also killed several other Russian service members, including senior army officer Nariman Shikhaliyev.

Who was Gudkov and why his death matters

Appointed in March 2025 as the Navy’s deputy chief, he was previously the commander of the 155th Separate Marine Brigade, a frontline unit actively involved in combat operations against Ukraine.

Despite his elevation, Gudkov remained close to the battlefield. "Even as Deputy Chief of the Navy, he continued to personally visit frontline positions," said Primorsky Krai Governor Oleg Kozhemyako, who announced Gudkov’s death and paid tribute to his "sense of duty."

His senior rank and battlefield presence make his death one of the most significant military losses for Russia since the war began in 2022, as noted by The Kyiv Independent.

The bigger picture

Gudkov’s death occurred in the volatile Kursk Oblast, a region that turned into a frontline after Ukraine launched a surprise cross-border incursion in August 2024. That offensive marked the first foreign invasion of Russian territory since World War II, aimed at disrupting Moscow’s operations in Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast.

Since then, Ukraine has claimed: 63,402 Russian troop casualties in the Kursk region; 25,625 killed, 971 captured and over 5,600 pieces of Russian military equipment damaged or destroyed.

In March 2025, Russia, aided by North Korean troops, mounted a renewed push and claimed to have retaken most of the lost ground.

A controversial legacy

While hailed in Moscow as a decorated and brave officer, Gudkov had also been accused by Ukraine of war crimes during earlier operations. His elevation by President Vladimir Putin just months before his death was seen as a sign of the Kremlin’s trust in him during a critical phase of the war.