Pakistan, July 3 -- MOSCOW - Major General Mikhail Gudkov, the deputy head of the Russian Navy, was killed during combat in the Kursk region, the Russian Defence Ministry confirmed on Thursday. He was one of the country's most senior military officers.

According to the ministry, Gudkov died while carrying out his duties in a border area near Ukraine. Reports on Russian and Ukrainian military Telegram channels claim he was killed by a U.S.-made HIMARS missile in a Ukrainian attack on a command post in Kursk. However, Reuters has not independently verified these details.

Gudkov, 42, previously commanded a marine brigade and played a key role in Russia's coastal and land force operations, including deployments in Ukraine. He was awarded a ...