News Feed

Russian vice-governor and military commander killed in Kursk Oblast, Astra reports

1 min read
Russian vice-governor and military commander killed in Kursk Oblast, Astra reports
Sergei Efremov, Vice-Governor of Russia’s Primorsky Krai and commander of the Tiger volunteer military unit, was killed on Feb. 2. (Telegram/Astra)

Sergei Yefremov, Vice-Governor of Russia's Primorsky Krai and commander of the Tiger military unit, was killed in Kursk Oblast, Russian Telegram news channel Astra reported on Feb. 2.

According to reports from another Russian channel Mash, Yefremov’s vehicle struck a mine and exploded, killing him and another officer.

"While returning from a combat mission, Sergei Yefremov, the commander of the Tiger unit, was killed," Primorsky Krai Governor Oleg Kozhemyako said.

The Tiger volunteer unit was formed in 2022, and Yefremov took command of it in Aug. 2024.

Following his new appointment, his unit was deployed to Kursk Oblast.

Kyiv's limited incursion into Kursk Oblast began on Aug. 6, 2024, when Ukrainian forces temporarily captured about 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory.

While Ukraine has reportedly lost around half of that territory since then, fighting continues in the region.

Ukraine hopes to leverage its presence in the area in potential peace negotiations. Last fall, North Korean troops were deployed to Kursk Oblast to support Russian forces in countering the Ukrainian incursion.

15,000 Russian troops ‘neutralized’ in Pokrovsk direction in January alone, Syrskyi says
In a post that included a video of combat footage, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said the area “remains one of the hottest” on the front.
Article image
Avatar
Sonya Bandouil

North American news editor

Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC. Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.

Read more
News Feed

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the U.S., South Korea, and Japan of military buildups around North Korea. "We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone, including North Korea and, of course, Russia."

Show More