Major General Mikhail Gudkov, a senior figure in the Russian Navy and a controversial figure for his battlefield record, was killed in the Kursk region of Russia, close to the Ukrainian border. The news of his death, confirmed by both Russian officials and international media, has drawn global attention not only due to his high rank but also because of his infamous past as the commander of a naval infantry brigade linked to war crimes in Ukraine.
The Russian defence ministry said Gudkov was killed “during combat operations in one of the border areas of the Kursk region on July 2, 2025,” according to the state-owned RIA news agency. While some unverified reports have suggested he may have died in a Ukrainian precision strike, Russian state media has not provided further details beyond confirming his death during active combat.
A controversial military career
Gudkov was appointed as the deputy head of the Russian Navy in March 2025, a significant promotion despite the blemishes on his battlefield reputation. Before that, he led the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade – a unit that, while once considered elite within Russia’s armed forces, has become notorious for its alleged involvement in civilian massacres during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Most notably, the brigade Gudkov commanded was linked to the atrocities in Bucha, a Kyiv suburb where Ukrainian forces uncovered mass graves and bodies of civilians after Russian troops were driven out in the early weeks of the war in 2022. The massacre in Bucha became a symbol of Russian brutality and sparked global outrage, leading to calls for war crime investigations.
According to Business Insider, the 155th Brigade, under Gudkov’s leadership, has also been associated with battlefield disasters in Irpin, Pavlivka, and Vuhledar. The unit’s repeated defeats have turned it into a symbol of the Kremlin’s military failures, requiring multiple rounds of replenishment and redeployment to recover from its losses. William Alberque of the International Institute for Strategic Studies told Insider, “They’ve gotten their asses handed to them again and again and again.”
Despite its initial reputation as an elite formation, the 155th’s legacy has been reshaped by both its suspected war crimes and poor combat performance. Yet, Gudkov’s career continued to advance, reflecting perhaps the Kremlin’s prioritisation of loyalty over success, or its desire to shield top commanders from accountability.
A death praised by Russian officials
Even after his controversial history and the brigade’s tainted legacy, Russian officials have chosen to honour Gudkov in death. Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of Russia’s far-eastern Primorye region, praised Gudkov as a “strong-spirited fighter.”
“He was killed carrying out his duty as an officer,” Kozhemyako said, adding, “He did not stop going out in person to the positions of our marines” even after his promotion to deputy commander of the navy.
Such glorification of a figure mired in controversy underscores the broader narrative pushed by the Russian state – one that seeks to valorise military figures despite their associations with brutality or failure. It also raises questions about the internal morale of Russia’s military forces, many of which have suffered repeated setbacks and heavy casualties in Ukraine.
Gudkov’s death is among the most high-profile Russian military losses since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. While Russia has suffered the deaths of dozens of senior officers, few held a position as prominent as Gudkov at the time of their death.
His killing in the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, also indicates the increasing volatility of the war spilling over into Russian territory, particularly as Ukraine escalates its cross-border drone and missile attacks.
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