Russian general who told Putin Kostyantynivka had been captured killed in Ukraine

Russian Major General Anton Grunis, once the commander of the 4th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade, has tragically lost his life in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to multiple sources. The investigative outlet Important Stories, as well as the Chechen Akhmat special forces unit and the Suvorovskoye Bratstvo Telegram channel, have reported his demise.

However, the exact circumstances surrounding Grunis' death remain a mystery. Initially, leaked records suggested that he was present in Alchevsk, located within Russia's occupied territory of Ukraine's Luhansk Region. Just a few days prior to these reports, Ukrainian forces conducted airstrikes on several locations within Alchevsk, destroying a supply depot and a site where Russian forces stored weapons and military equipment.

Additionally, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) targeted military equipment in the nearby settlement of Karpaty. Although a direct link between Grunis' death and these strikes has not been established, the situation remains fluid. Grunis was no stranger to military engagements in the region; he had previously participated in Russian military operations in Chechnya, Georgia, and Syria, as well as the annexation of Crimea.

Recently, he had led a brigade heading towards Kostyantynivka in Ukraine's Donetsk Region. Back in July, Grunis informed Vladimir Putin that Kostyantynivka had fallen into Russian hands, and three months later, he was honored with Russia's highest honor, the Hero of Russia title. Despite this, Kostyantynivka remains under contested control, with ongoing skirmishes reported by the Black Bird Group and the Institute for the Study of War.

Furthermore, the Russian pro-war Telegram channel Rybar confirms that Ukrainian forces still hold positions in the area, labeling it as a disputed "gray zone" rather than fully under either side's control. According to open-source data and media reports, Russia has suffered the loss of 19 generals during the Ukrainian invasion.