Near Vuhledar, the “elite” 155th Separate Guards Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet lost, according to various estimates, from 211 to almost 700 personnel killed — in assaults that the brigade's own soldiers publicly called being sent to slaughter.

The military prosecutor's office, after checking the marines' complaints against the command, found no violations. Meanwhile, the brigade's commander, Mikhail Gudkov, received the rank of major general, the position of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, and two Hero of Russia Stars during these same years — the second posthumously.

Elite Brigade from the Pacific

The 155th Separate Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet is based in Vladivostok and the settlement of Slavyanka in Primorsky Krai. The unit participated in both Chechen wars and Russia's Syrian operation. Since March 2022, the brigade has held the honorary title of “Guards.” Throughout this time, since 2021, it was commanded by Colonel (later Major General) Mikhail Gudkov.

In autumn 2022, the brigade was redeployed to Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast — first for the assault on the village of Pavlivka, then on the city itself, which remained under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was there, over the following months, that the reputation of an “elite” unit diverged from what was happening on the ground.

“We Are Just Meat”

In November 2022, servicemen of the 155th Brigade recorded a video address to Primorsky Krai Governor Oleg Kozhemyako, complaining about losses and the organization of the Pavlivka assaults. According to them, the brigade lost about 300 personnel and half of its equipment in just four days.

The servicemen directly blamed General Sukhrab Akhmedov, commander of the 20th Combined Arms Army — according to them, it was he who directed the brigade into poorly organized attacks. One marine recounted that his unit was 80–90% composed of mobilized personnel, not regular marine infantry fighters.

Military experts interviewed by the BBC, after studying available video recordings of the clashes, concluded that the assaults were prepared without thorough planning: the Russians advanced on Pavlivka along a single narrow road, without demining the adjacent territory, while complaining about a lack of reconnaissance assets.

Prosecutor's Office Found No Violations

Five weeks after the marines' public complaint, on December 14, 2022, the military prosecutor's office stated that it found no violations in the actions of the 155th Brigade's command. At the end of January 2023, the brigade was again thrown into an offensive on Vuhledar.

February 6: Assault Without Reconnaissance

On February 6, 2023, the 155th Brigade, together with the 40th Marine Brigade (Pacific Fleet/Kamchatka), undertook another assault on forest belts near Vuhledar — again without proper reconnaissance. Video recordings that emerged documented the results of one of the clashes: 13 destroyed tanks and 12 infantry fighting vehicles — approximately half the standard complement of a Russian army tank battalion.

On February 10, reports emerged of the possible destruction of over 30 more units of armored vehicles and heavy personnel losses. British military intelligence assessed the 155th Brigade's losses as extremely heavy. The New York Times reported that in February 2023 alone, the Russian army lost at least 130 tanks and armored personnel carriers.

How Many Died

Based on an analysis of open sources, journalists confirmed the deaths of at least 211 servicemen of the 155th Brigade, including 19 officers — among them Guards Lieutenant Colonel Tsyren Lubsanov, a battalion commander. Another 42 people are listed as missing. Separately, the deaths of 72 servicemen of the 40th Brigade were confirmed. Including the missing, the total number of killed marines in the Vuhledar assaults could reach 700.

According to a broader estimate, based on reports from officials in Primorsky and Kamchatka Krai, media, and social networks, the two brigades could have lost a total of over 2,100 personnel near Vuhledar throughout the entire campaign — starting in autumn 2022.

Order Instead of Investigation

Three months after the bloodiest assaults, on May 17, 2023, the 155th Brigade was awarded the Order of Zhukov — officially “for merits in the development and conduct of major military operations.” Later, on January 13, 2025, the brigade also received the Order of Suvorov.

Mikhail Gudkov's career developed in parallel with these awards. In October 2023, he was awarded the title of Hero of Russia. In 2024, he became a major general. On April 16, 2025, by presidential decree of Putin, Gudkov was appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, tasked with overseeing all coastal troops and marine infantry units of the Navy — meaning the very person who commanded the brigade for eight years during its heaviest and most publicly documented losses was promoted.

War Crime Accusations

Ukrainian officials had previously accused Gudkov and servicemen under his command in the 155th Brigade of war crimes, including in Bucha, Kyiv Oblast. In August 2024 and January 2025, brigade servicemen were separately accused of beheading captured Ukrainian servicemen. None of these accusations have been publicly tried in court.

Death and Second Star

On July 2, 2025, Gudkov died in Kursk Oblast — according to the Ministry of Defense, “during combat operations” in one of the border areas, near the settlement of Korenevo. The strike hit the marines' forward command post: at least four missiles, according to reports, led to the deaths of an entire group of senior officers.

Along with Gudkov, the then-acting commander of the 155th Brigade, Guards Colonel Sergey Ilyin, his assistant Guards Lieutenant Colonel Nariman Shikhaliev, and, according to several Telegram channels, up to ten more officers died.

By presidential decree of October 20, 2023, Gudkov had already received the Gold Star of Hero of Russia. After his death, he was awarded this title a second time — posthumously, making him a two-time Hero of Russia. The 155th Marine Brigade was subsequently named after him.

The Outcome

The 155th Brigade's own soldiers publicly called themselves “meat.” The military prosecutor's office, after checking their complaints, found no violations in the command's actions. Open sources confirmed the deaths of hundreds of marines in assaults conducted without reconnaissance or demining. Accusations of war crimes remained just accusations.

And the man who commanded this brigade all these years became a major general, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the fleet, a two-time Hero of Russia — and ultimately gave his name to a unit that his own subordinates described as expendable.