Sergey Ilyin, commander of Russia’s 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade, has been killed in the war. A message announcing his death appeared on July 10 on the VKontakte page of the administration of the Urmarsky District in the Chuvash Republic. The post was later removed after drawing media attention.
The original message said that Ilyin had “performed an immortal act of heroism, giving his life for our homeland.” Officials did not specify when or where he was killed.
According to pro-war Telegram channels, Ilyin died on July 2 during a Ukrainian strike on Russia’s Kursk region. The Telegram channel Astra reported that Mikhail Gudkov, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy, was also killed in the same attack.
Russia’s Defense Ministry had earlier confirmed that Gudkov was killed on July 2 in one of the border districts of the Kursk region. According to various Telegram channels, Gudkov and 10 other officers died when Ukrainian forces struck the 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade’s command post near Korenevo.
Ukrainian authorities have previously accused soldiers from the 155th Brigade of committing war crimes, including atrocities in Bucha, in the Kyiv region. In August 2024 and again in January 2025, members of the brigade were also accused of beheading several Ukrainian soldiers.