Two Milchakovs, One Rumor: Confusion Over Which Russian Commander Died

The commander of Russia’s 51st Army, Lt. Gen. Sergey Milchakov, was likely killed in a Ukrainian strike on a military headquarters in Donetsk, according to the partisan movement Atesh.Atesh said in a Telegram post that Milchakov, who heads the 51st Guards Combined Arms Donetsk Army of Russia’s Southern Military District, was likely killed on Aug. 26.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.On that day, Ukrainian Defense Forces reportedly struck the main and reserve command posts of Russian forces in Donetsk.“Russian military correspondents are sure that he was handed over by his own people, because they hit with aim. A very interesting version!” Atesh said.There is currently no official confirmation of Sergei Milchakov’s reported death.Confusion over two Russian commandersThe claim came as Russian media also reported the alleged death of Alexei Milchakov, commander of the Sabotage and Assault Reconnaissance Group (DSHRG) “Rusich,” a Russian far-right combat group that has fought in Ukraine since 2014.The group and its commanders are under sanctions imposed by the EU, the US, and other countries.Russian blogger Aslan Rubayev was among the first to report Alexei Milchakov’s alleged death.“I just spoke with a colleague, he said that Alexei Milchakov died in the SVO (as the Russians call the war in Ukraine). Whatever it was, he is a great patriot of his homeland. I hope he is alive and this is a hoax,” he wrote on Telegram.Russian milblogger Yuriy Kotenok also reported the claim. However, the Russian outlet Mash, citing sources close to the “Rusich” commander, said Alexei Milchakov was alive and well. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Sees Exponential Growth in Private Security Firms Providing Anti-Drone Protection November 2025 Ukrainian Defense Ministry plan for businesses to defend their facilities from ever-expanding Russian drone threat now yields results. Strike on 51st Army headquartersThe strike on the headquarters of the 51st Army in Donetsk was reported in late August by the Ukrainian public channel Skadovsky Zakhysnyk and monitoring project Exilenova+. Neither report was officially confirmed at the time. The 51st Army is part of Russia’s Southern Military District and was created in 2024 from the 1st Donetsk Army Corps, which until 2022 was subordinate to the so-called “People’s Militia” of the Russia-backed Donetsk People’s Republic.Milchakov headed the 1st Donetsk Army Corps from 2022, replacing Lt. Gen. Roman Kutuzov, who was killed near Popasna, according to Russian military correspondent Semyon Pegov.In 2024, Milchakov was awarded the title of Hero of Russia. He reportedly commanded Russian operations to capture Avdiivka, New York, and other settlements in the Donetsk region.If confirmed, Milchakov would become the 23rd Russian general killed during the war in Ukraine. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.