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

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.

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk