Russian General Who Oversaw Capture of Ukraine’s Kostiantynivka Dies

Sep. 16, 2026 Major General Anton Grunis. Russian Defense Ministry An military commander who President Vladimir Putin recently awarded with Russia’s highest state honor for the capture of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka has died, a senior Defense Ministry official said Wednesday. Major General Apti Alaudinov, who serves as serves as deputy chief of the Defense Ministry’s ideological arm and commander of the Akhmat special forces, said Major General Anton Grunis “passed on to another world.” “He left us as a hero who carried out his sacred duty,” Alaudinov said without specifying when Grunis died or the circumstances. Grunis commanded the Russian Armed Forces’ 4th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, which has played a key role in Russia’s offensive in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. In July, Grunis personally briefed Putin on the capture of Kostiantynivka, one of four heavily fortified cities that make up Ukraine's so-called “fortress belt” in Donetsk. Earlier, Grunis boasted that his troops had “sliced up the city like a pie” by outflanking Ukrainian defense lines along local reservoirs. Putin awarded Grunis the Hero of Russia medal in August. In 2023, the Russian president had praised him as a commander “with a Lithuanian last name, born in Kazan, who fights brilliantly.” Read more about: Defense Ministry , Russian military Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Anti-War NGO Reports Rise in Forced Enlistments Across Russia Idite Lesom said it has received a growing number of complaints from individuals who were forcibly detained and coerced into signing contracts with Russia’s... 2 Min read Saratov Region Cuts Military Contract Bonus Saratov became the sixth region to reduce military contract bonuses from at least 2 million rubles to the legal minimum. 2 Min read Russian Court May Release Jailed Army General Popov to Fight in Ukraine – TASS Popov, who was arrested on fraud charges, reportedly asked Putin to allow him to “continue smashing the enemy” in Ukraine in a letter last month. 2 Min read Ex-Russian Military Construction Head Arrested for Abuse of Power – Kommersant The reported arrest comes just months after a larger shake-up in the Russian military, which saw the removal of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. 2 Min read