During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, a high number of Russian generals have been killed in action. As of 11 July 2022, Ukrainian sources claimed that 14 Russian generals had been killed during the invasion. Although some claims were rebutted, the loss of even two general officers is rare. The scale of these losses is unprecedented since World War II.[1][2] This has been attributed to Russian senior commanders going to the field to address "difficulties in command and control" and "faltering Russian performance on the front line",[3] insecure communication by Russian forces,[4] and United States military intelligence that allowed the Ukrainians to target Russian officers.[5]
List[]
The Russians have confirmed the death of four of their generals. The Ukrainians have claimed the deaths of four additional generals which the Russians have neither confirmed nor denied.
Name | Rank | Position | Date reported | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andrei Sukhovetsky | ![]() |
Deputy Commander, 41st Combined Arms Army | 1 March 2022[7] | Template:Ya | Shot by a sniper at Hostomel[8][9] on 28 February 2022.[10][11] Had previously been involved in the Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war, and 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea.[12] His death was reported by a retired Russian intelligence officer on Twitter on 1 March[7] and by Russian online tabloid Pravda.ru on 3 March 2022.[13] |
Andrei Kolesnikov | ![]() |
Commander, 29th Combined Arms Army | 11 March 2022[14] | Template:Pending | Killed somewhere near Mariupol.[14] |
Oleg Mityaev | ![]() |
Commander, 150th Motorized Rifle Division | 15 March 2022[12][15] | Template:Pending | Killed somewhere near Mariupol.[12] |
Yakov Rezantsev | ![]() |
Commander, 49th Combined Arms Army | 25 March 2022[16] | Template:Pending | Ukrainian officials claimed he was killed as a result of a Ukrainian strike on the command post of the 49th Combined Arms Army in the Chornobaivka airfield in the Kherson Raion.[17][16] |
Vladimir Frolov | ![]() |
Deputy Commander, 8th Guards Combined Arms Army | 16 April 2022[18] | Template:Ya | No information about his death was released prior to the notice of his funeral at Serafimovskoe Cemetery, St. Petersburg.[19][20][21] |
Andrei Simonov | ![]() |
Chief of Electronic Warfare Troops, 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army | 30 April 2022[22] | Template:Pending | Killed during an artillery strike on a command post of the 2nd Combined Arms Army, in the vicinity of occupied Izium.[22] |
Kanamat Botashev | Major General (retired) |
Unclear | 22 May 2022[23] | Template:Ya | Killed in the Luhansk region when his Su-25 was shot down by a FIM-92 Stinger missile[24] Botashev had been previously discharged from the Russian Air Force for crashing a Su-27.[25] Ukrainian sources suggested that he might have been deployed as part of the paramilitary organization Wagner Group.[26] |
Roman Kutuzov | ![]() |
Commander, 1st Army Corps, Donetsk People's Militia[27] | 5 June 2022[28] | Template:Ya | Reported by Russian state television reporter Alexander Sladkov on the Telegram messaging app.[28] Kutuzov was reportedly killed near the village of Mykolaivka, Popasna Raion, Luhansk Oblast.[29][28] Kutuzov's promotion from major general was announced posthumously.[30][31] |
- ↑ One-star general, equivalent to lowest General rank in Nato armies most commonly named a variant of Brigadier general e.g. brigadier generals in the United States militaries and brigadiers in the British military.[6]
- ↑ Two-star general, equivalent to a rank mostly referred to in a variant of Major General in Nato armies e.g. major general the United States militaries.
On 23 April 2022, Ukraine's Ministry of Defence reported a strike on a Russian 49th Combined Arms Army command post in Kherson Oblast, killing two generals and critically injuring one. The names of the two generals were not released at the time of the report.[32][33]
Rebutted reports[]
The reported deaths of three Russian generals have been rebutted.
Name | Rank | Position | Date reported | Initial report | Correction |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Magomed Tushayev | ![]() |
Commander, Chechen National Guard units | 26 February 2022[34] | Claimed killed during an SBU Alpha Group ambush of a convoy around Hostomel, northwest of Kyiv.[35] | Death disputed by the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov who posted a video said to show Tushayev alive[36][37] and a Chechen-based media outlet which posted a video of Tushayev denying his death on 16 March 2022.[38] Later, BBC News Russian reported he was still alive.[39] |
Vitaly Gerasimov | ![]() |
Chief of Staff, 41st Combined Arms Army | 8 March 2022[40] | Claimed killed outside Kharkiv. Had previously been involved in the Second Chechen War, Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war, and 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea.[12] CNN said it had not independently verified Gerasimov's death and US officials had not confirmed it.[41] | On 23 May 2022, Russian media reported that Gen. Gerasimov was awarded with the Order of Alexander Nevsky while dismissing claims of his death.[42][43] Later, BBC News Russian reported he was still alive.[39] |
Andrey Mordvichev | ![]() |
Commander, 8th Guards Combined Arms Army | 18 March 2022[44] | Claimed killed in a Ukrainian artillery strike on the Chornobaivka airfield in the Kherson Raion, according to "preliminary information" from Ukraine.[45] | On 28 March 2022, footage appeared reportedly showing Kadyrov meeting with Mordvichev and other commanders in Mariupol.[46][47] Later, BBC News Russian reported he was still alive.[39] |
Analysis[]

Russian state television reporter Alexander Sladkov reported on the death of General Kutuzov.
Analysts at the Jerusalem Institute for Security and Strategy and the French Institute of International Relations find that the number of Russian generals killed during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine suggests that the poor morale among Russian forces and a slow advance into Ukraine forced high-ranking officers to put themselves at risk in an effort to achieve military objectives.[14][48] UK intelligence attributed the deaths of senior commanders to their going to the field to personally lead operations to address "difficulties in command and control" and "faltering Russian performance on the front line."[3] Western governments say at least 10 Russian generals have been killed, which they attribute to major strategic errors.[49]
In addition to these flag officers, senior officers have been killed by Ukrainian forces; on 23 March, Ukrainian official Mykhailo Podoliak stated that their forces had killed "dozens of colonels and other officers".[50][51] That day, The Times counted five Russian colonels killed in Ukraine so far.[52] On 11 May, MSN reported a total of 42 colonels allegedly killed.[53] By the end of April, at least 317 Russian officers had been killed, a third of them majors, lieutenant colonels, and colonels.[54] A Ukrainian official told The Wall Street Journal that a unit of Ukrainian military intelligence was collecting information of the positions of Russian officers, including generals, artillery commanders, and pilots.[12][6] High-ranking casualties in the Russian navy include captain 1st rank Andrei Paliy, the deputy commander of the Black Sea Fleet.[55][56] Anton Kurpin, the commander of the Russian cruiser Moskva, has also been reported as killed, although the Russians have not confirmed this.[57]
The Russian military is top-heavy, with generals playing a larger role in day-to-day operations than in other militaries.[6][58] Russian battalion commanders were given more authority only three years before the invasion.[12] According to analysts and Western officials, Russia had deployed approximately 20 general officers to Ukraine.[12][59] Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia, described the number of Russian generals killed as "a shocking number",[59] while David Petraeus, the former director of the CIA, remarked that it is "very uncommon" for so many generals to be killed and that the Ukrainian military was "picking them off left and right".[60] The Washington Post stated that generals were "killed at a rate not seen since World War II".[2]
The deaths of Russian officers on the front line have been attributed to a number of Russian vulnerabilities in Ukraine, including the use of unsecured communications and the movement of officers to the front line to boost flagging morale and address discipline issues, such as looting.[12][59][58][2] The use of unsecured phones has been attributed to the failure of Russia's secure telephone technology system, Era.[4] In March 2022, two American military officials told The New York Times that Russian generals in Ukraine frequently had conversations on unsecured phones and radios, and that in at least one instance, a general and his staff were killed after the Ukrainians intercepted a call, geolocated it, and attacked the location.[59] The New York Times also reported that U.S. intelligence has provided real-time intelligence to help the Ukrainian military target Russian generals.[61]
See also[]
- Army ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation
- Casualties of the Russo-Ukrainian War
- Military history of the Russian Federation
- Order of battle for the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Combatants of the war in Donbas
- List of military engagements during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Timeline of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
References[]
- ↑ Reuters (2022-03-23). "Russia's military hit by high-ranking losses in Ukraine" (in en). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-military-hit-by-high-ranking-losses-ukraine-2022-03-23/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Booth, William; Dixon, Robyn; Stern, David L. (26 March 2022). "Russian generals are getting killed at an extraordinary rate". https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/26/ukraine-russan-generals-dead/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Newsweek (2022-05-08). "Russian Military Failures 'Likely to Endure' in Ukraine: UK Defence" (in en). Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/russian-military-failures-likely-endure-ukraine-uk-defence-1704596.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Borger, Julian (2022-03-08). "Vitaly Gerasimov: second Russian general killed, Ukraine defence ministry claims" (in en). The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/08/vitaly-gerasimov-second-russian-general-killed-ukraine-defence-ministry-claims.
- ↑ Barnes, Julian E.; Cooper, Helene; Schmitt, Eric (2022-05-04). "U.S. Intelligence Is Helping Ukraine Kill Russian Generals, Officials Say" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/04/us/politics/russia-generals-killed-ukraine.html.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Mauldin, William; Grove, Thomas; Pancevski, Bojan (16 March 2022). "Four Russian Generals Killed in Three Weeks Show Moscow's Vulnerabilities in Ukraine". The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/death-of-russian-generals-in-ukraine-expose-vulnerabilities-in-moscows-military-tactics-11647441273.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Anna Mukhina; Mark Krutov (3 March 2022). ""Звоните в ФСБ". В Россию пошли первые "похоронки"" (in ru). https://www.svoboda.org/a/zvonite-v-fsb-v-rossiyu-poshli-pervye-pohoronki/31733576.html.
- ↑ Wiehe, Noelle (4 March 2022). "Russian general killed in Ukraine fighting, Putin confirms". Coffee Or Die. https://coffeeordie.com/russian-general-killed/.
- ↑ Demerly, Tom (4 March 2022). "Reports: Russian airborne forces commander killed by sniper in Hostomel". The Aviationist. https://theaviationist.com/2022/03/04/general-andrey-sukhovetsky-killed/.
- ↑ "АНДРЕЙ АЛЕКСАНДРОВИЧ СУХОВЕЦКИЙ 25.06.1974 – 28.02.2022 г." (in ru-RU). Союз Десантников России [Union of Russian Paratroopers]. 4 March 2022. http://sdrvdv.ru/news/andrey-aleksandrovich-sukhoveckiy-25-06-1974-28/.
- ↑ "Russian major general killed in Ukraine at end of February". CNN. 10 March 2022. https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-11-22/h_3e6ea2e4c7df77975ab58f7317aa5d71.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 Tobias, Ben (16 March 2022). "War in Ukraine: Fourth Russian general killed - Zelensky" (in en-GB). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60767664.
- ↑ "Russian general killed in Ukraine" (in en). 3 March 2022. https://english.pravda.ru/news/world/150554-russian_general/.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "Russian generals face peril as Ukraine invasion intensfies [sic]" (in en). 2022-03-08. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220308-russian-generals-face-peril-as-ukraine-invasion-intensfies.
- ↑ Naughton, Philippe (2022-03-16). "Fourth Russian General Killed in Ukraine as Putin's Losses Mount" (in en). https://www.thedailybeast.com/russia-loses-fourth-major-general-in-ukraine-conflict-after-oleg-mitayev-killed-in-mariupol.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Kesaieva, Yulia (25 March 2022). "Ukrainian army says Russian general has been killed in Kherson fighting". https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-25-22/h_474504b422b84d41eef29e572c5e9420.
- ↑ "Sodan nopeaa päätöstä luvanneen kenraalin sanotaan kuolleen" (in fi). Verkkouutiset. 25 March 2022. https://www.verkkouutiset.fi/sodan-nopeaa-paatosta-luvanneen-kenraalin-sanotaan-kuolleen/#908bce34.
- ↑ Hookway, James (2022-04-16). "Russia Loses Another Major General in Ukraine Fighting". The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/russia-ukraine-latest-news-2022-04-15/card/russia-loses-another-major-general-in-ukraine-fighting-7bHXbR97hCy4IBVxJsjL.
- ↑ "In Ukraine, the deputy commander of the 8th Army died." (in en). BB-CNTV. 16 April 2022. https://bb-cntv.com/news/in-ukraine-the-deputy-commander-of-the-8th-army-died-paper-25038/.
- ↑ "В Петербурге похоронили погибшего на Украине генерала" (in ru). 2022-04-16. https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/5315586.
- ↑ ШАРЫПОВА, Ангелина (2022-04-16). "В Петербурге простились с генерал-майором, погибшим во время спецоперации на Украине" (in ru). https://www.spb.kp.ru/online/news/4710173/.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Tenth Russian General Reportedly Killed in Ukraine". May 2022. https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/tenth-russian-general-reportedly-killed-in-ukraine.html.
- ↑ "Russian media: retired Russian major general killed in skies over Ukraine". https://news.yahoo.com/russian-media-retired-russian-major-131900289.html.
- ↑ The Moscow Times (2022-05-24). "Russian Major General Shot Down Over Ukraine – BBC Russian". https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/05/24/russian-major-general-shot-down-over-ukraine-bbc-russian-a77788.
- ↑ "Лекарство против неба Генерал заплатит Минобороны за разбившийся на учениях Су-27" (in ru). https://lenta.ru/articles/2013/04/23/fly/.
- ↑ "Ukrainian paratroopers have probably neutralized the infamous Russian aviation general" (in en-GB). 2022-05-23. https://mil.in.ua/en/news/ukrainian-paratroopers-have-probably-neutralized-the-infamous-russian-aviation-general/.
- ↑ Andreikovets, Kostia (5 June 2022). "Russian General Kutuzov was killed in eastern Ukraine". www.babel.ua. https://babel.ua/en/news/79507-russian-general-kutuzov-was-killed-in-eastern-ukraine.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 "Russian general killed in eastern Ukraine, Russian state media reporter says". Reuters. 5 June 2022. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-general-killed-eastern-ukraine-russian-state-media-reporter-says-2022-06-05/.
- ↑ Beardsworth, James (2022-06-06). "Who Was Russian General Roman Kutuzov?" (in en). https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/06/06/who-was-russian-general-roman-kutuzov-a77902.
- ↑ "Putin promoted 9 generals – participants in the war in Ukraine – The Moscow Times". 7 June 2022. https://hindustannewshub.com/russia-ukraine-news/putin-promoted-9-generals-participants-in-the-war-in-ukraine-the-moscow-times/.
- ↑ Ranjan Mishra, Prabhat (2022-06-06). "Roman Kutuzov: Russia Loses 11th General in Ukraine War as Fight Intensifies in Donbas" (in en-US). International Business Times. https://www.ibtimes.sg/roman-kutuzov-russia-loses-11th-general-ukraine-war-fight-intensifies-donbas-65045.
- ↑ "Russia-Ukraine war: Zelenskiy holds press conference; two Russian generals killed near Kherson, says Ukraine – live" (in en). 2022-04-23. https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/apr/23/russia-ukraine-war-latest-zelenskiy-warns-moscow-wants-to-capture-other-countries-as-moldova-expresses-concern-over-russian-plans-live.
- ↑ "Cooler than Chornobayivka: the Armed Forces destroyed the command post of the occupiers in the Kherson region". Fakty. 23 April 2022. https://fakty.com.ua/en/ukraine/suspilstvo/20220423-krutishe-chornobayivky-zsu-nakryly-komandnyj-punkt-okupantiv-u-hersonskij-oblasti/.
- ↑ Weinthal, Benjamin (2022-03-01). "Pro-Putin Chechen general who led 'gay purge' killed in Ukraine" (in en-US). The Jerusalem Post. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-699032.
- ↑ "The subdivision of the National Guard Forces Command of the Chechen Republic is destroyed near Kiev, commander of the regiment Tushaev is killed - Ministry of Defense of Ukraine" (in en). https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/802950.html.
- ↑ Ling, Justin (26 February 2022). "Russia Tries to Terrorize Ukraine with Images of Chechen Soldiers". Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/02/26/russia-chechen-propaganda-ukraine/.
- ↑ "Kadyrov denied rumors about destruction of Chechen military in Ukraine". 26 February 2022. https://www.silkway.news/kadyrov-denied-rumors-about-destruction-59835/.
- ↑ "Магомед Тушаев: "Я тот, кого "трусливые зайцы" в интернете назвали мертвым" (+видео)" (in Russian). 16 March 2022. https://chechnyatoday.com/video/353808.
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 От генералов до добровольцев: потери России в Украине к началу июня
Груз 200: что известно о потерях России в Украине к середине июня - ↑ Borger, Julian (2022-03-08). "Vitaly Gerasimov: second Russian general killed, Ukraine defence ministry claims" (in en). https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/08/vitaly-gerasimov-second-russian-general-killed-ukraine-defence-ministry-claims.
- ↑ Picheta, Rob; Guy, Jack (2022-03-09). "Ukraine claims Russian general has been killed in Kharkiv". https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/08/europe/russian-general-killed-ukraine-kharkiv-intl/index.html.
- ↑ ""Воскрес убитый" разведкой ВСУ и Западом генерал ВС РФ Герасимов" (in ru). 23 May 2022. https://www.pravda.ru/news/world/1711740-gerasimov/.
- ↑ Ukraine war: Another Russian general killed by Ukrainian forces - reports
- ↑ "Советник Зеленского: "По предварительным данным, в результате удара ВСУ убит генерал-лейтенант РФ Андрей Мордвичев"" (in ru). The Insider. 18 March 2022. https://theins.ru/news/249409.
- ↑ "Ukraine war latest: Zelensky urges peace talks with Russia 'without delay'" (in en-gb). BBC News. 19 March 2022. https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-60802572?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=62356f0d0ce87e491a0f02f3%26Russian%20lieutenant%20general%20killed%20in%20Ukraine%3A%20Armed%20Forces%262022-03-19T06%3A00%3A47.066Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:b335982c-f486-4155-99af-5d9f84cb5137&pinned_post_asset_id=62356f0d0ce87e491a0f02f3&pinned_post_type=share.
- ↑ "Chechen Leader Travels to Mariupol: Reports". 28 March 2022. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/03/28/chechen-leader-travels-to-mariupol-reports-a77113.
- ↑ "Deaths of generals expose Russia's troubles in Ukraine". 28 March 2022. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220328-deaths-of-generals-expose-russia-s-troubles-in-ukraine.
- ↑ Cullison, Alan; Osipovich, Alexander (2022-03-11). "Russian General Is Killed in Ukraine as Airstrikes Intensify" (in en-US). Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-airstrikes-intensify-in-western-ukraine-11646994808.
- ↑ Ilyushina, Mary; Abbakumova, Natalia (2022-10-08). "Kremlin, shifting blame for war failures, axes military commanders" (in en). Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/07/russia-military-commanders-dismissed-war/.
- ↑ Reuters (2022-03-23). "Russia's military hit by high-ranking losses in Ukraine" (in en). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-military-hit-by-high-ranking-losses-ukraine-2022-03-23/.
- ↑ Sean Spoonts, Deep Six: Kremlin Confirms Captain of the Moskva Killed, 450 Crewmembers May Be Dead, SOFREP (April 15, 2022).
- ↑ Parker, Charlie (23 March 2022). "Russian commander killed in Mariupol is 15th top-brass loss". The Times. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russian-commander-alexei-sharov-killed-in-mariupol-is-15-top-brass-loss-xrtlxdpk3.
- ↑ Sarkar, Alisha Rahaman (2022-05-18). "Vladimir Putin loses 42nd colonel in war with Ukraine" (in en-GB). https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/vladimir-putin-loses-42nd-colonel-in-war-with-ukraine/ar-AAXpYiz.
- ↑ Beardsworth, James (2022-05-06). "High Death Toll of Russian Generals in Ukraine a Blow to Military Capability" (in en). https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/05/06/high-death-toll-of-russian-generals-in-ukraine-a-blow-to-military-capability-a77609.
- ↑ Quadri, Will Stewart, Sami (2022-03-21). "Russian naval commander, 51, 'shot dead near Mariupol'" (in en). https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/ukraine-russia-commander-dead-b989323.html.
- ↑ Vasilyeva, Nataliya (2022-04-16). "'Hundreds dead' after Ukraine sinks Russia's flagship Moskva". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/04/16/no-sign-survivors-ukraine-sinks-russias-flagship-moskva/.
- ↑ "Russian warship: Moskva sinks in Black Sea" (in en-GB). BBC News. 2022-04-15. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61114843.
- ↑ 58.0 58.1 Detsch, Jack. "'Winging It': Russia Is Getting Its Generals Killed on the Front Lines" (in en-US). https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/21/russia-generals-dead-ukraine/.
- ↑ 59.0 59.1 59.2 59.3 Cooper, Helene; Barnes, Julian E.; Schmitt, Eric (16 March 2022). "As Russian Troop Deaths Climb, Morale Becomes an Issue, Officials Say". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/16/us/politics/russia-troop-deaths.html.
- ↑ "Video: Retired Gen. Petraeus explains how Ukrainians are taking out Russian generals - CNN Video". https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2022/03/20/ukraine-russian-generals-patraeus-sotu-vpx.cnn.
- ↑ Barnes, Julian E.; Cooper, Helene; Schmitt, Eric (2022-05-04). "U.S. Intelligence Is Helping Ukraine Kill Russian Generals, Officials Say" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/04/us/politics/russia-generals-killed-ukraine.html.
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The original article can be found at List of Russian generals killed during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the edit history here.