&w=3840&q=100)
'Strong-spirited fighter': Ukrainian strikes in Kursk kills Russia's top-ranking official
A view shows flowers placed in front of a board with a photograph of Major General Mikhail Gudkov, the deputy head of the Russian Navy who, according to local authorities, was recently killed in the Kursk region amid Russia-Ukraine conflict, at an exhibition of distinguished Russian soldiers' portraits in the far eastern city of Vladivostok, Russia, July 3, 2025. Reuters
Ukrainian strikes in Russia's Kursk region killed the deputy chief of the Russian Navy, Mikhail Gudkov, authorities in the Primorsky region in Russia's far east have confirmed. This is one of the high-profile deaths in Russia's leadership as a result of Ukrainian strikes since the start of the war.
Gudkov, 42, was the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy who led a brigade that fought in Ukraine. He was killed in the Russian border region on Thursday.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'During combat operations in one of the border areas of the Kursk region on July 2, 2025… Major General Mikhail Evgenievich Gudkov was killed,' Russia's state RIA news agency quoted the defence ministry as saying.
Oleg Kozhemyako, head of the Primorye region in Russia's Far East, said Gudkov 'was killed carrying out his duty as an officer'.
Kozhemyako said he had spoken to Gudkov 'a lot' over the years, praising him as a 'strong-spirited fighter'.
He said Gudkov was a former commander of the 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade of the Pacific Fleet based in the Russian Far East.
The governor said that, even after becoming deputy commander of the Russian navy, Gudkov 'did not stop going out in person to the positions of our marines'.
The deputy chief was appointed to the post in March last year by President Vladimir Putin, who said at the time, 'Since the minister and the Chief of the General Staff believe that your experience needs to be replicated in other units, I have decided to transfer you to a position - to increase your level of responsibility.'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military had accused Gudkov and other members of his former 155th brigade of committing war crimes in the country, including killing civilians in the towns of Bucha, Irpin and Gostomel.
Ukrainian forces captured large parts of Kursk in a surprise offensive last year – a response to Russia's full-scale campaign against their country, which began in 2022.
Russia in April said it had fully recaptured the territory, but clashes in the border region have continued.
With inputs from agencies
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
13 minutes ago
- Time of India
Thai army releases drone strike video as clashes with Cambodia kill 16, ceasefire calls grow louder
Watch exclusive footage released by the Thai Army showing drone strikes on Cambodian weapons depots. The July 25 clashes saw deadly fire exchanges between Thailand and Cambodia, killing at least 16. Thailand claims Cambodia used artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rockets. Over 10,000 people were evacuated as tensions escalated. Regional leaders now call for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further bloodshed and instability in the border region. Show more Show less
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
13 minutes ago
- First Post
‘Obviously unlikely': Russia shoots down Ukraine's proposal for Putin-Zelenskyy meet by Aug-end
Days after talks between the two countries, the Kremlin has said that a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin is 'obviously unlikely' before the end of August. read more In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces via videoconference at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on April 26, 2025. AP Photo Days after negotiators of the two countries held talks in Turkey, the Kremlin has dismissed the possibility of talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin anytime soon. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Friday said that a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin was 'obviously unlikely' before the end of August. For weeks, Zelenskyy has pushed for a leader-level meeting between the two countries in order to reach a ceasefire as a first step towards ending the war. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'A high-level meeting can and must put a definitive end to the settlement … Is it possible to go through such a complex process in 30 days? Well, that is obviously unlikely,' Peskov told the media, as per AFP. With the rejection of Zelenskyy's call for a leader-level meeting, the Kremlin made it clear again how far the two sides stood in their positions on the war. Instead of seeking a middle ground to end the war, the Kremlin has doubled down on its maximalise demands. Russia rejects Ukraine's main demand After talks on Wednesday, Rustem Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation, said that the direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin was the 'priority number one'. He said that Ukraine sought such a meeting by the end of August with Presidents Donald Trump of the United States and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Even before the Kremlin's dismissal earlier in the day, Vladimir Medinsky, who lead the Russian delegation in talks in Turkey, said on Wednesday that 'the positions [of the two sides] are quite distant'. Medinsky said that both the countries on Wednesday agreed to exchange 1,200 prisoners each and that Russia offered to hand Ukraine the bodies of 3,000 of its soldiers. 'We once again proposed to the Ukrainian side… to establish short 24- to 48-hour ceasefires on the line of contact, so that medical teams are able to collect the wounded and so that commanders can come take the bodies of their soldiers,' said Medinsky. In previous rounds of talks, Ukraine and Russia had exchanged terms for the end of the war. While Ukraine offered concessions in a bid to end the war, Russia made no such attempt. Russia not just doubled down on its maximalist demands but expanded them such that any acceptance would lead to Ukraine's cessation as a sovereign nation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
13 minutes ago
- First Post
Thailand-Cambodia clashes enter Day 2: Is a war looming large?
Thailand and Cambodia aren't backing down. The two Southeast Asian neighbours began Friday with heavy weapon firing, which has now extended to 12 locations along the disputed border. The clashes have also prompted Thailand's acting PM to say that it could lead to 'a war' read more A Thai military mobile unit fires towards Cambodia's side after Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery on Friday as their worst fighting in more than a decade stretched for a second day, in Surin, Thailand. Reuters War clouds loom large over Southeast Asia as the clashes between Thailand and Cambodia have entered day 2 on Friday, July 25. Clashes that began on Thursday resumed early on Friday, the Thai military reported, as the two countries fight in their bloodiest military clashes in over a decade. The intense fighting has prompted Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to tell reporters in Bangkok, 'If the situation escalates it could develop into war, though for now it remains limited to clashes.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He also said the exchanges had affected people's lives and that the government had 'protected our nation and sovereignty'. Here's what's going on as we decipher in which direction will these clashes move — will it be a war or will cooler minds prevail? Thailand, Cambodia exchange heavy artillery fire on Day 2 Fresh clashes broke out at 4:30 am local time on Friday with both countries trading heavy artillery and rocket fire. Today's fighting has expanded to 12 locations from the six on Thursday along the disputed border, said a Thai military official, indicating that the conflict is widening. Thai's military spokesperson Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri told a press conference Cambodia had continued to use heavy weapons. In turn, Cambodia's local reports state that the Thai troops are using cluster munitions in Phnom Khmouch and Techo Thammachart Village — near the Thai border. Royal Thai Army soldiers are pictured on armoured vehicles on a road in Chachoengsao province. Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military targets on July 24 as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery. AFP The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) in a statement said that the use of the weapons was a 'serious breach of international humanitarian norms'. Cluster munitions are banned under the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions due to their indiscriminate impact and lasting danger, particularly to children, the statement added. Reuters journalists in Surin province reported hearing intermittent bursts of explosions on Friday, amid a heavy presence of armed Thai soldiers along roads and gas stations in the largely agrarian area. Death, destruction and displacement As a result of two days of intense firing between Cambodia and Thailand, a total of 16 people have died. Moreover, Thai officials said 138,000 people from four border provinces had been evacuated. In Surin, evacuee Ngerntra Pranoram said she was 'shocked' by the fighting. 'Nobody wants this to happen. I feel for the elderly and the disabled. It's very difficult for them to get here,' she said, according to Reuters. 'Some people have cars, which is good, but for those who don't, it's really hard.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Seamstress Pornpan Sooksai also told AP, 'I just heard, boom, boom. We already prepared the cages, clothes and everything, so we ran and carried our things to the car. I was frightened, scared.' Rattana Meeying, another evacuee, said she had also lived through the 2011 clashes between the two countries but described this flare-up as worse. 'Children, old people, were hit out of the blue," she said. 'I never imagined it would be this violent.' A little girl rests inside a shelter, after Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery on Friday as their worst fighting in more than a decade stretched for a second day, in Surin, Thailand. Reuters Some villagers earlier dug holes to create makeshift underground bunkers, covering them with wood, tarpaulin and zinc sheets to shield themselves from shelling. Families with children were seen packing their belongings on home-made tractors to evacuate, though a few men refused to leave. As per a report by the Associated Press, more than 4,000 people in Cambodia have been displaced from their homes near the border. Videos from Oddar Meanchey on Thursday showed villagers fleeing in the dead of night, packing their belongings into vehicles and sleeping under tarps. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The clashes have also caused widespread destruction to property. On Friday, Cambodia alleged that Thai forces had struck near the Preah Vihear temple – a UNESCO World Heritage site and longstanding flashpoint between the two countries. Damage from a fire caused by Cambodian artillery at a 7-11 convenience store is seen at a PTT gas station in the Thai border province of Sisaket province. AFP Authorities in Phnom Penh released photos they say show damage to the ancient hillside temple complex, which sits along the contested border in Preah Vihear province. However, Thailand has rejected this charge, saying it was a 'clear distortion of facts'. 'The Royal Thai Army would like to state that the operations of the Thai military forces have a clear goal of retaliating only against the Cambodian military forces, and are not targeting civilian areas or any locations unrelated to the military operation in any way,' it said on X. All the fighting has also resulted in foreign governments issuing travel advisories for their citizens. On Friday, the Indian embassy in Thailand has urged its nationals to stay updated and avoid certain areas near the Thailand-Cambodia border. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In view of the situation near Thailand-Cambodia border, all Indian travelers to Thailand are advised to check updates from Thai official sources, including TAT Newsroom. As per Tourism Authority of Thailand places mentioned in the following link are not recommended for… — India in Thailand (@IndiainThailand) July 25, 2025 India's advisory comes after the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong has similar warnings. War clouds loom large Reacting to the violence that is occurring, Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said, 'We have tried to compromise as we are neighbours, but we have now instructed the Thai military to act immediately in case of urgency. 'If the situation escalates, it could develop into war, though for now, it remains limited to clashes.' Michael Buehler, a reader in comparative politics at SOAS, University of London, told The Guardian that the current fights is heading towards a bigger crisis owing to a dangerous mix of nationalism, military posturing, and political fragility in both countries. 'With both governments under pressure and national pride at stake, there's a real risk of further deterioration,' he added. World calls for calm Even as Thailand warns of a war, the international community is seeking peace. In fact, the United Nations chief has called on both countries to show restraint. In a statement, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres asked Thailand and Cambodia to resolve their escalating border dispute through dialogue. Moreover, the UN Security Council is expected to convene an emergency meeting on the crisis later today in New York. Earlier, countries such as China, Malaysia and even the United States have offered to mediate between the two Southeast Asian neighbours. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a Facebook post late Thursday he had spoken with Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. He called on both sides to stop fighting and seek a diplomatic solution. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And on Friday, a spokesperson from the Thai foreign ministry said that it was open to Malaysia mediating in efforts. 'We are ready, if Cambodia would like to settle this matter via diplomatic channels, bilaterally, or even through Malaysia, we are ready to do that. But so far we have not had any response,' Nikorndej Balankura told AFP. However, there are conflicting reports on this issue. In a Reuters report, Balankura has rejected any foreign mediation efforts. 'We stand by our position that bilateral mechanism is the best way out,' he told the news agency. With inputs from agencies
