Russia has lost at least 19 generals during the war against Ukraine
Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, at least 19 Russian generals have been killed. It is important to note that not all deaths have been officially confirmed by Moscow.
Losses among senior commanders have been recorded both directly on the frontlines and in the rear — due to strikes on headquarters, aviation incidents, sabotage, and explosions on Russian territory. Several generals were killed by snipers or artillery in the early months of the war. Some of the deceased were retired at the time of death or served in volunteer and assault units.
In 2022, the deaths of Generals Andriy Sukhovetsky, Oleg Mityaev, Volodymyr Frolov, Andriy Symonov, Kanamat Botashev, and Roman Kutuzov were reported.
Sukhovetsky, deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army, was killed on February 28, 2022, in the Chernihiv region — reportedly shot by a sniper. He became the first general whose death was confirmed by Russia.
Mityaev commanded the 150th Motor Rifle Division and is believed to have been killed during the battles for Mariupol in spring 2022.
Frolov, deputy commander of the 8th Combined Arms Army, died on March 10, 2022, in Mariupol.
Botashev, after leaving active service, fought in the PMC Wagner — his Su-25 was shot down by Ukrainian forces on May 22, 2022.
In subsequent years, the list grew with names such as Serhiy Horyachov, Oleg Tsokov, Volodymyr Zavadskiy, and others.
Horyachov, chief of staff of the 35th Combined Arms Army, was killed on June 12, 2023, after a strike on the army’s headquarters in Prymorsk.
Tsokov, deputy commander of the Southern Military District, was killed on July 11, 2023, due to a strike on a reserve command post of the 58th Army in Berdyansk.
In 2024, Generals Andriy Holovatsky, Ildar Saidov, Pavlo Klymenko, and Ihor Kyrylov were killed.
Kyrylov, head of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Troops, died on December 17, 2024, in an explosion on Ryazansky Prospekt in Moscow, along with his driver.
Konstantin Smeshko died on December 26, 2024, in Russia — circumstances of his death were not officially disclosed.
In 2025, among those killed were Deputy Head of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff Yaroslav Moskalyk, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Mykhailo Hudkov, and Chief of the General Staff Operational Training Department Fanil Sarvarov.
Moskalyk died on April 25, 2025, due to an explosion in Russia.
Hudkov, according to Ukrainian media, was killed on July 2, 2025, in a missile strike — the Russian side reported he died “while performing a combat mission” in the Kursk region.
Sarvarov, who headed the General Staff Operational Training Department, was killed on December 22, 2025, in a car bomb explosion in Moscow. His death was officially confirmed.
Also, in 2022, the death of Major General Kolesnikov was reported; however, in 2023, propagandist Vladimir Solovyov released a report from Syria showing Kolesnikov alive as deputy commander of a Russian formation.
Moscow saw the assassination of its third lieutenant general in a single year. A Russian general who reported the capture of Kupiansk went missing following a Ukrainian counterattack.
