At least 20% of Russian combat forces killed in Ukraine were officers sent to carry out Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
An analysis found that of the 1,083 dead Russian service members whose identities have been confirmed, more than one-fifth were officers, including 31 majors, and 155 held rankings between captain and second lieutenant.
Of the bodies BBC Russian Service has counted, many were returned to their families up to a month after their deaths, raising the expectation that the number of high-ranking service members killed in action is much higher.
Most recently, Lt. Col. Vyacheslav Savinov, head of artillery reconnaissance for the 49th Combined Arms Army, was identified among Russia’s dead servicemen.
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On Sunday, it was reported that Russia lost Col. Alexander Bespalov, the commander of the 59th Guards Tank Regiment and part of the 144th Guards Motorized Rifle Division. He was Putin’s ninth colonel to die in the war.
Bespalov’s funeral was held in the closed Russian city of Ozersk, according to a local announcement.
Russian Colonel Alexander Bespalov, the commander of the 59th Guards Tank Regiment (part of the 144th Guards Motorized Rifle Division), has been killed in battle by the Ukrainian Army. pic.twitter.com/jLMFi93hGY
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 10, 2022
In late March, Col. Denis Kurilo was killed during fighting near Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian officials.
At least seven generals have died in the conflict to snipers, close combat, and bombings, according to a March 26 report.
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More than 18,000 Russian soldiers have been killed during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Ukrainian armed forces.
