MOSCOW: A retired Russian commander who led air strikes on the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol died in a blast early on Thursday in Stavropol in southern Russia, authorities said.

Zaur Gurtsiev, 34, received several medals for participating in Russia’s gruelling assaults on the cities of Mariupol and Avdiivka. Authorities did not say what caused the explosion, but also did not rule out that Ukraine was responsible.

A string of high-profile Russian servicemen have been killed in Russia since the Kremlin launched its full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in Febr­uary 2022. Videos posted by Russian Telegram channels showed two men, one of them Gurtsiev, positioned in a residential neig­hbourhood before a blast.

Kyiv has in some cases claimed responsibility or revelled in the attacks, calling them “legitimate targets” given Moscow’s three-year offensive has killed tens of thousands.

“Our hero, veteran of the special military operation and participant in the Time of Heroes programme, Zaur Alexan­drovich Gurtsiev, has died,” said Stavropol region governor Vladimir Vladimirov.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2025