Since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin has experienced significant military losses, including the deaths of at least 19 generals. This staggering number highlights the severe human cost of the conflict at the highest command levels and raises questions about the effectiveness of Russia’s military strategy.
An investigation conducted by the independent outlet The Insider, utilizing open-source data and reports from both Russian and Ukrainian sources, details the various circumstances surrounding these fatalities. Generals have been killed on the front lines, in headquarters strikes, during aviation incidents, and even through sabotage in Russia itself. While not all deaths have been officially confirmed by the Russian government, this trend represents one of the most substantial losses of senior military commanders in recent history.
The fatalities began almost immediately after the invasion was launched. Major General Andrey Sukhovetsky, deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army, was the first confirmed general to die, shot by a sniper near Chernihiv just four days into the invasion. Others followed swiftly; Major General Vladimir Frolov was killed by sniper fire in Mariupol, while Major General Andrey Simonov died when an artillery strike hit a command post near Izium. Lieutenant General Roman Kutuzov, aged 53, was killed near Popasna while leading assault operations.
As the conflict progressed, the situation for Russian commanders became increasingly precarious. Notably, retired General Kanamat Botashev was shot down while piloting a Su-25 attack jet while engaged with the Wagner mercenary group. In the latter half of 2023, Ukrainian forces made significant gains, resulting in the deaths of additional high-ranking officers. Major General Sergey Goryachev, 52, was killed in a headquarters strike in Prymorsk, and Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov, 51, was killed in Berdiansk.
By late 2023, even those stationed behind the front lines were not safe. Major General Vladimir Zavadsky, aged 45, died near Krynky, reportedly due to shelling or a mine explosion.
The war’s tragic toll reached beyond Ukraine’s borders by 2024 and into Russia itself. Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s nuclear, chemical, and biological defense troops, was killed in a bomb attack in Moscow in December 2024. Other notable casualties include Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, who died in an explosion in April 2025, and Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, who was killed in a car bombing later that year.
These incidents are characterized not merely as battlefield losses but as targeted attacks, striking at the core of Russia’s military leadership. Many of those who lost their lives were in their forties or early fifties, a notably young age for senior military officers.
Analysts indicate that these losses have forced Moscow into challenging decisions, including promoting less experienced officers and frequently reshuffling command structures. As a result, there is a notable shift toward more aggressive and less coordinated combat tactics. The Insider suggests that the actual number of generals lost may be greater than reported, with rumors emerging about a senior general who may have died aboard the Qendil oil tanker, which was struck by a drone in the Mediterranean. The name of General Andrey Averyanov, 60, has been associated with this incident, but without independent verification, the details remain unclear.
If confirmed, Averyanov would become the 20th general lost in Putin’s ongoing military campaign, which has reportedly resulted in over one million Russian soldiers being killed or wounded. These figures underscore a grim reality: this conflict is one in which Russia appears to be “eating its own commanders,” as the cumulative impact of leadership losses weighs heavily on its military strategy and morale.
