Major General Pavlo Klymenko at this year’s meeting of several Russian officers with President Vladimir Putin, Photo: WillWest News

Russian Major General Pavel Klimenko, commander of the 5th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade “Oplot”, has been killed at the front in Ukraine. The news was first reported by Russian military bloggers on Telegram and later confirmed by Russian media, including the news website Lenta, after talking to the general’s family.

Klymenko, who previously commanded the forces of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), was awarded several military decorations, including the Orders of Courage, Alexander Nevsky and the Medal for Courage. In September 2022, he was awarded the title of “Hero of the DPR” after Russia announced the annexation of the Donetsk region.

The details of Klymenko’s death remain unknown, but according to some Ukrainian sources and independent analysts, he may have died after a kamikaze drone attack on his vehicle.

In addition to his military merits, the general was also known for scandals. According to an investigation by the online media outlet Astra, Klymenko was accused of organising torture chambers for Russian soldiers in the occupied territory of Donetsk region, where he offered the soldiers to avoid the front line in exchange for money. It is known that soldiers were forced to join assault groups and perform dangerous tasks, often under threats and coercion.

Pavel Klimenko became the eighth Russian general whose death during the war in Ukraine was confirmed by official sources or independent journalists.