Russian Naval Officer Killed in Ukrainian Strike
Major General **Mikhail Gudkov** perished in Kursk region attack.
A high-ranking officer in the Russian Navy, Major General **Mikhail Gudkov**, was killed in a Ukrainian strike within Russia’s Kursk region. The incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, highlighting its expansion across borders.
Key Development
**Oleg Kozhemyako**, governor of Russia’s Primorsky Krai, confirmed that **Gudkov**, the deputy commander of the Russian Navy, died in the Korenevo border district. News of the death broke on July 3rd.
According to **Kozhemyako**, several other Russian service members, including army officer **Nariman Shikhaliyev**, were killed in the attack alongside **Gudkov**. The strike reportedly hit a Russian command post.
Background on **Gudkov**
**Gudkov**’s career included leading the 155th Separate Marine Brigade, which participated in operations against Ukraine. He was appointed deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy in March 2025.
In August 2024, Ukrainian forces launched a cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast. It became the first large-scale invasion of Russian territory by foreign troops since World War II. The operation aimed to disrupt a planned Russian offensive targeting Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast and to alleviate pressure on the Donetsk front.
Ongoing Conflict
Since the initial incursion, Ukraine claims to have inflicted substantial casualties on Russian forces in the Kursk Oblast. Ukraine claims 63,402 Russian troop casualties, including 25,625 killed and 971 captured. Ukrainian forces further claim to have destroyed or damaged over 5,664 pieces of Russian military equipment in the area.
While Russia retook much of the territory in March 2025 with the help of North Korean troops, the conflict remains intense. According to a recent report from the Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces have recently made confirmed advances northeast of Kharkiv (ISW, June 2025).
Ukraine has not issued any official statement regarding the reports of the strike and **Gudkov**’s death. The incident is expected to further escalate tensions between the two nations.
