The Ministry of Defense of russia has confirmed that Major General Mikhail Gudkov was killed on July 2, 2025 in the Kursk region in the west of russia. Mikhail Gudkov, appointed as a Deputy
Commander-in-Chief of the russian Navy on March 28, 2025, was killed in Ukrainian strike on russian command post, according to the UK Defense Intelligence.
Read more: UK Defense Intelligence Analyses How Ukrainian Drones Inflict Heavy Damage on russian Air Assets
It is likely Mikhail Gudkov was directing marine infantry units attempting to establish a buffer zone in the Ukrainian region of Sumy. Russia's advances in Sumy have slowed due to Ukrainian counterattacks and significant russian losses.
Mikhail Gudkov was the former commander of the russian Pacific Fleet's 155th Marine Infantry brigade. Mikhail Gudkov is reportedly the second senior russian general to be killed in 2025, the fifth general killed in the last 12 months, and the sixteenth russian general killed since russia launched its illegal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The loss of so many high-ranking officers is likely to have had the effect of undermining command and control in parts of the Armed Forces of russia. This has likely contributed to russian tactical and operational difficulties during the war.
As Defense Express previously reported, on June 27, 2025, Ukraine launched a successful uncrewed aerial system attack on the Marinovka airfield in Volgograd, russia. The strike almost certainly destroyed at least two russian Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft, with unconfirmed loss/damage of two additional aircraft. The Marinovka airfield is over 270 km from the Ukrainian border and 440 km from the current front line.
Read more: UK Defense Intelligence: Over 20,000 russian Soldiers Abandon Post Since the Full-Scale Invasion Began
