Over 19 Russian Generals Reported Killed in Ukraine Conflict Amidst Rising Casualties

According to investigative outlet The Insider, at least 19 Russian generals have been killed since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago, based on open-source information and reports from both Russian and Ukrainian sources.

Not all fatalities have been officially verified by Russian authorities, the report stated.

Among those who died in 2022 were generals Andrei Sukhovetsky, Oleg Mityaev, Vladimir Frolov, Andrei Simonov, Kanamat Botashev, and Roman Kutuzov.

In the following years, generals Sergei Goryachev, Oleg Tsokov, and Vladimir Zavadsky also lost their lives, according to the investigation.

Recent fatalities include Igor Kirillov, who leads Russia’s radiation, chemical, and biological defense troops; Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy head of the General Staff’s operational directorate; Mikhail Gudkov, deputy commander-in-chief of the Navy; and Fanil Sarvarov, who heads the General Staff’s department for operational training.

The Insider reported that high-ranking officers have died both near the front lines and away from combat areas, with casualties resulting from strikes on command centers, aviation accidents, explosions, and suspected sabotage. Some generals were reportedly targeted and killed by snipers or artillery during the war’s early days.

Some of the deceased were either retired or serving in volunteer units, such as mercenary groups and the Defense Ministry’s Storm Z formations composed of prison recruits, the outlet noted.

In early December, a senior NATO official informed the BBC’s Russian service that the total number of Russian soldiers killed or injured might be nearing 1.15 million.

In a separate report, BBC Russian, together with exiled outlet Mediazona, indicated that the confirmed military deaths in Russia, based on open-source data, had reached 152,142 since the invasion began.

The highest numbers of verified fatalities were reported from the republics of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan, as well as Sverdlovsk region, they noted.

Approximately 67% of the confirmed casualties were from rural areas and towns with populations under 100,000, as per the data.

The Economist has estimated that by late autumn 2025, Russia may have lost around 1% of its pre-war male population due to deaths in Ukraine.