Russian Colonel Killed After Direct Strike on His Command Post—Reports

A Russian colonel was killed in Syria, months after he was deployed to the Middle Eastern country to carry out "special tasks," local government officials said.

The death of Colonel Oleg Pechevisty, 49, was announced by the administration of Russia's Podporozhsky district in the Leningrad region, where he was born. Podporozhskaya Pravda, a local channel on Russia's VKontakte social media platform, reported that he was killed after a direct strike by a "sabotage group" on his command post in Syria.

Russia has maintained a sizable military presence in Syria since 2015—four years after civil war broke out in the country—but it has in recent months reduced its forces in the region, transferring its experienced troops to fight in its war against Ukraine. Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has relied on Russian President Vladimir Putin's troops, and other assisting forces, to fight rebels and maintain his grip on power.

Pechevisty was killed "while performing his commanding duty" in Syria on the night of May 25 to 26, the administration of the Podporozhsky district said.

The statement said that the colonel had been, since 2020, heading the department for the use of special forces units at the Ryazan Guards Higher Airborne Command School, which is a military educational institute belonging to the Russian Ministry of Defense in the Ryazan region.

He graduated in 2006 from the Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, a military academy in Moscow. Pechevisty also served in Russia's Chechen Republic, Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia, and Syria.

"From December 2022, he performed special tasks in the Syrian Arab Republic. On the night of May 25-26, 2023, he died while performing his command duty," the statement said.

"Oleg Viktorovich enjoyed well-deserved authority and respect from his subordinates. He responsibly approached the performance of military duty. He possessed high personal moral qualities.

"For impeccable service, he was awarded the Order of Courage, the Medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, second degree, the Medal of Courage, the Suvorov Medal, the Order of Military Merit, the Medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, first degree, etc."

The administration added: "We express our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Pechevisty O.V. His bright memory will forever remain in our hearts."

Russia's Defense Ministry hasn't commented on the reports of Pechevisty's death. Newsweek has contacted the ministry via email for comment.

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