On 28/6, Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command announced the death of Colonel Volodymyr Kononnikov, commander of the 154th Independent Mechanized Brigade. Preliminary data indicated "no signs of violent action."

However, police forces in Zaporizhzhia province later stated a military commander had "died with gunshot wounds." While the individual's identity was not explicitly mentioned, Ukrainska Pravda identified him as Brigade Commander Kononnikov.

Colonel Volodymyr Kononnikov. Photo: General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces

Authorities have opened a case for "intentional murder" under Article 115 of Ukraine's Criminal Code. This is a standard procedure in the country when a body with gunshot wounds is discovered, allowing investigators to clarify all possibilities, including murder, suicide, or accidental death.

Colonel Kononnikov was appointed brigade commander last year. The 154th Independent Mechanized Brigade was established in September 2023, primarily engaging in combat in Kharkov province and the Donbass region, which includes Lugansk and Donetsk provinces. The unit participated in the defense of the strategic stronghold of Pokrovsk, a city that fell in December 2025, and also fought on the Kupyansk front.

The 154th Brigade is currently stationed in Huliaipole, located in the Ukraine-controlled area of Zaporizhzhia province.

Since the start of the conflict, Russia and Ukraine have carried out assassinations on enemy territory using various methods.

Russia's TASS news agency reported on 28/6 that Rustem Fakhriev, a colonel working for Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate, was "eliminated" in May, though no specific details were provided.

Rustem Fakhriev, a colonel with Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate. Photo: Top War

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) had previously accused Fakhriev of being behind a failed assassination attempt on a senior officer in Crimea in early December 2025. Fakhriev allegedly recruited Ukrainian citizens for this mission. He was killed in a shootout with security forces while attempting to plant explosives in the Russian officer's vehicle. Another individual, believed to be an accomplice, was arrested and charged with terrorism.