Praised by Putin in Murmansk in March. Today Major General Gudkov is confirmed killed in Ukrainian strike

Deputy head of the Russian Navy, Major General Mikhail Gudkov, is one of the most senior military officers killed since Putin ordered the full-scale invasion in 2022.

The controversial Major General, by Kyiv accused of war crimes, was sitting next to Vladimir Putin onboard the nuclear-powered submarine Arkhangelsk on March 27. The submarine was docked at Atomflot, the base of Russia’s icebreaker fleet in Murmansk. Putin was telling about the strengt of the Navy and praised Mikhail Gudkov for his way of leading warfare on the battlefields in Ukraine. “Major General Gudkov’s achievements must be replicated across our Armed Forces,” Putin said and pointed to: “… primarily the naval infantry units, which have been quite effective in combat.

They are actually very good. It would not be an exaggeration to say that these are elite units within the Armed Forces, just like the paratroopers and the special operations units,” Putin said. Putin then appointed Gudkov to be the Russian Navy’s new deputy leader, second in rank after Admiral Aleksandr Moiseev: “Regarding the marines, I have already stated that they are performing superbly. Since both the Defence Minister and the Chief of the General Staff believe that your experience should be replicated across other units, I have decided to transfer you to a new position, elevating your level of responsibility. You are hereby appointed Deputy Commander of the Navy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,” Putin said.

The Kremlin posted a transcript of the conversation. Prior to being appointed deputy commander of the Navy, Mikhail Gudkov led the 155th Separate Marine Brigade, a Pacific Fleet unit that took part in the February 2022 occupation of areas north of Kyiv, including Bucha where numerous war crimes against civilians took place. The strike that killed Mikhail Gudkov happened on July 2 and his death was confirmed on July 3 by the Ministry of War in a short note on Telegram. He was killed “during combat operations in one of the border areas of the Kursk region,” the ministry writes. Several other Russian soldiers were killed in the same Ukrainian strike.

According to the Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty, at least four missiles were fired at a command post near the village of Korenevo in Kursk Oblast where Gudkov was killed.