Ukrainian media outlets had earlier reported the major general's death in a HIMARS strike, citing pro-Russian military bloggers. Now, Russia's Ministry of Defense and the Governor of Primorye Oleg Kozhemyako have confirmed the loss of Gudkov.

A view shows a scene of an explosion in which, according to Russia's investigative committee, Russian general Igor Kirillov, in charge of nuclear protection forces, and his assistant were killed, in Moscow,

Maj. Gen. Mikhail Gudkov, promoted to deputy head of the Russian Navy just a few months earlier, died in an apparent Ukrainian strike.