Russian pilots who struck port infrastructure in the Odesa region have been identified
The “Book of the Executioners of the Ukrainian People” project has identified Russian military personnel involved in strikes against port and logistics infrastructure in the Odesa region.
In July 2026, Russian troops intensified their strikes on port and logistics infrastructure in the Odesa region. The enemy used various types of drones, as well as X-59M2A guided air-to-ground missiles, to carry out the attacks.
Forces and assets from the 4th State Center for Aviation Personnel Training and Military Testing of the Russian Ministry of Defense and the 929th State Flight Test Center of the Russian Ministry of Defense were involved in carrying out the strikes. Specifically, this involved crews of Su-34M fighter-bombers and Su-35S fighters.
The main airfield from which the Russian aircraft took off was Akhtubinsk in the Astrakhan Region of the Russian Federation. The missile launch zones were located in the airspace near the settlements of Rozdilne and Mizhvodne in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
Strikes on Ukrainian Ports
The port infrastructure of the Odesa region is of strategic importance for Ukrainian exports. The ports of Greater Odesa accounted for approximately 90% of Ukraine’s grain exports by sea.
Russian attacks on port facilities and civilian vessels not only cause damage to Ukrainian infrastructure but also pose additional risks to the functioning of international food supply routes.
Attacks on logistics hubs and ports are hindering Ukrainian grain exports, which could directly impact food security in vulnerable regions of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
What missiles did the Russian Air Force use?
One of the weapons used during the attacks was the X-59M2A guided air-to-ground missile.
The Russian Ministry of Defense positions it as a high-precision weapon and claims an accuracy of 3–5 meters from the target point. At the same time, even Russian military officials estimate the effectiveness of this type of missile to be significantly lower—in the range of 2–20%.
Despite the Russian side’s claims of “high precision,” such weapons are being used to strike Ukrainian civilian and critical infrastructure targets.
Identities of Russian military pilots established
The “Book of Executioners of the Ukrainian People” project has identified Russian military personnel who were involved in strikes against port and logistics infrastructure in the Odesa region in July 2026.
Among those identified are:
- Stanislav Gasanov, major—flies as the pilot in command of a Su-34M aircraft as part of Tactical Aviation Group No. 6 of the Special Combat Group within the Reserve Aviation Group of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Armed Forces.
- Vladislav Kalinichenko, Captain—flies as a navigator on the Su-34M as part of Tactical Aviation Group No. 6 of the Special Combat Group of the Reserve Aviation Group of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
- Sergey Zvyagin, Lieutenant Colonel—flies as a navigator on the Su-34M as part of Tactical Aviation Group No. 6 of the Special Combat Group of the Reserve Aviation Group of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
- Ivan Zinin, Captain — flies as the commander of a Su-34M as part of the Aviation Reserve Group of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
- Dmitry Tikhonov, Captain — flies as the pilot-in-command of a Su-34M as part of the Aviation Reserve Group of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
- Dmitry Barsky, Major — flies as a navigator on the Su-34M as part of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff Reserve Aviation Group.
- Viktor Spichka, Captain — flies as the commander of a Su-35S as part of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff Reserve Aviation Group.
- Pavel Malikhin, Major — flies as the pilot-in-command of a Su-35S as part of the Reserve Aviation Group of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
- Oleksandr Simachenko, Captain—flies as pilot-in-command of a Su-34M as part of Tactical Aviation Group No. 6 of the Special Combat Group within the Reserve Aviation Group of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. Full details are expected to be released at a later date.
- Andriy Ryumin, Lieutenant Colonel — flies as a navigator on a Su-34M as part of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff’s Reserve Aviation Group. Full details are also expected to be released at a later date.
Identifying military personnel directly involved in the use of Russian aviation against Ukraine is part of a systematic effort to determine those responsible for strikes on Ukrainian cities, civilian facilities, and critical infrastructure.
Recording such data is important not only for public awareness. Identifying specific service members, their positions, units, and roles in the use of weapons lays the groundwork for further documentation and investigation of crimes committed by the Russian Federation.
Every war crime must be investigated, and everyone involved must be identified. The collected data can become part of the evidence base for the future prosecution of Russian military personnel.
Detailed information was published in *The Book of Executioners of the Ukrainian People*.
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