Russia Deputy Navy Commander Killed in Ukrainian Strike Kursk

Major General Mikhail Gudkov, deputy head of the Russian Navy, was killed in a Ukrainian missile strike on a Russian command post in Russia’s Kursk region, a border area with Ukraine. Gudkov, appointed deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy in March 2025, previously led the 155th Separate Guards Naval Infantry Brigade, an elite unit that has suffered significant losses during Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry and regional officials confirmed his death, marking a significant blow to Russian military leadership amid ongoing conflict. Gudkov was highly decorated, having received the Hero of Russia Gold Star Medal in 2023, and his brigade took part in multiple combat operations across Ukraine, including in Kursk Oblast. This incident is part of a series of Ukrainian strikes and assassinations targeting top Russian commanders. Meanwhile, the U.S. Pentagon has unexpectedly paused arms shipments to Ukraine due to concerns over weapons stockpile levels, a decision expected to be discussed between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Trump.