A former Russian air officer, Major Zaur Gurtsiyev, 34, who played a key role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, was killed in an apparent bomb attack overnight in Stavropol.
Gurtsiyev, a veteran of the full-scale invasion, had recently become deputy mayor of Stavropol. He oversaw air operations during Russia’s devastating siege of Mariupol, where thousands were killed. The local branch of Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed that two people died in the explosion, with Gurtsiyev’s 29-year-old acquaintance believed to have set off an improvised explosive device.
Surveillance footage showed the men engaging in a confrontation before the blast. Law enforcement authorities launched a criminal investigation into murder and illegal weapons trafficking, labeling the incident as “an act of terrorism.”
Source: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/05/29/mariupol-siege-air-commander-killed-in-bomb-attack-a89266