May 13, 2025

Silent Casualties of the War


Silent Casualties of the War
MLRS "Grad" with the symbol of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, Wikimedia Commons.

Since the start of Russia’s War on Ukraine, at least 17 accidents involving military personnel have occurred in Belgorod Oblast, resulting in at least 32 deaths. Some incidents involved abandoned combat vehicles left without reflective markings, while others involved serious traffic violations or suspected intoxication. The independent outlet Regionalnye Aspekty (Regional Aspects) reported on several of the victims’ stories and their struggles.

Regionalnye Aspekty reported that most accidents stemmed from military personnel violating traffic laws while operating vehicles.

On February 7, 2025, a BMW X7 SUV driven by Marine Ramazan Gadzhimuradov crashed into an ambulance in central Belgorod while doing more than 150 kilometers per hour (93 mph). The impact hurled the ambulance into a utility pole and a building. Paramedic Olga Lyubimova and her colleague, Marina Parovyshnik, died at the scene.

According to online records, the vehicle involved had received more than 90 traffic violations over the past two years, mostly for speeding. Lyubimova’s relatives believe that all three occupants of the BMW — the driver and two passengers — were intoxicated, though no official confirmation has been released.

In April 2024, two Belgorod residents, Denis Tolmachev and Alexander Komarov, died in a crash involving a military truck. The men were driving a KamAZ carrying tar when the military vehicle  emerged from a curve in violation of traffic rules. It collided with another vehicle head-on, trapping Tolmachev and Komarov in the cabin, which then caught fire. Both died, leaving behind three children each. During the investigation, military personnel admitted they had tried to "slip through" the turn, knowingly breaking traffic rules.

Another frequent factor in the accidents is the lack of reflective signs on military vehicles. The deadliest known incident occurred in October 2022 in the Shebekinsky district, when a van carrying sawmill workers crashed into a parked military fuel truck that was unlit on the roadside. Ten people, including the van’s driver, were killed. The driver was found at fault.

Alcohol also appears to be a recurring factor. In June 2024, paramedic Maxim Barkalov was returning home when a self-propelled howitzer emerged from a forested area and ran over his car. Barkalov was trapped for over 90 minutes until residents were able to pull him free. Witnesses said the soldiers involved were intoxicated and initially blocked rescue efforts. Only after one bystander began filming did the soldiers leave, allowing civilians to assist. The soldiers reportedly fled the scene.

Barkalov ended up spending several months in the hospital and was discharged as an invalid. Trying to bring the culprits of the accident to justice, he contacted various authorities, but in vain.

In another incident in July 2024, a tank ran over the car of agronomist Konstantin Lopatkin. “It flew out, just crushed him, and that’s it,” said his stepdaughter, Natalya. Despite his extensive injuries, a forensic report listed the cause of death as a “heart rupture” rather than a traffic accident. Natalya, who now lives in Kazakhstan, said she is struggling to seek justice due to financial and geographic barriers. Initially, the soldier involved faced three years in prison, but the possible sentence has since been reduced to 18 months.

“We will not achieve any justice,” said Natalya.

Olga Lyubimova’s family is facing similar difficulties. Gadzhimuradov, the driver in the February 2025 crash, was transferred to the Burdenko military hospital in Moscow. Doctors have reportedly declared him medically unfit for investigative procedures, halting the investigation. There has been no further official comment. Another soldier in the BMW, Murad Musayev, has since been discharged from the hospital and returned to the frontlines.

According to Regionalnye Aspekty, nearly all the military-linked accidents have yet to result in criminal charges. Most cases are still under investigation, and penalties so far have been limited to administrative fines for traffic violations.

Notably, on August 5, 2024, following several high-profile incidents, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced the creation of a regional government commission to address military-related accidents. He called for weekly reviews, faster responses, and stricter accountability. However, there have been no public updates on the commission’s activity since that announcement.

You Might Also Like

Russian Soldiers Want Peace
  • May 08, 2025

Russian Soldiers Want Peace

Independent outlet Verstka interviewed Russian soldiers about a potential ceasefire and the objectives of the war.
With Prayers and Drones
  • April 28, 2025

With Prayers and Drones

Dozens of Orthodox military-patriotic clubs across Russia prepare children for war.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955