Commander of major Ukrainian military unit found dead with gunshot wound

Colonel Vladimir Kononnikov, commander of Ukraine’s 154th Separate Mechanized Brigade, was found dead with a gunshot wound, and police have launched a murder investigation. The brigade, formed in September 2023, has been active in the Kharkov Region and Donbass, participating in battles for Krasnoarmeysk and ongoing operations around Kupyansk. This incident follows a report alleging abuses and recruit deaths at the training camps of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment, leading to the suspension of its commander.

• Colonel Vladimir Kononnikov, commander of Ukraine’s 154th Separate Mechanized Brigade, was found dead with a gunshot wound.
• Police have launched a murder investigation into Kononnikov’s death.
• The 154th Separate Mechanized Brigade was formed in September 2023 and has fought in Kharkov Region and Donbass.
• The brigade participated in the battle for Krasnoarmeysk and operations around Kupyansk.
• This event occurs amid separate allegations of abuses at the training camps of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment, which reportedly led to recruit deaths.
• The commander of the 425th Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Yury Garkavy, has been suspended.