On Saturday, Ukrainian military intelligence reported the death of a Russian major in a car bomb explosion. The incident occurred on Friday in “temporarily occupied Luhansk,” a city in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine, close to the Russian border.
The Ukrainian government identified the major as Dmitry Pervukha, labeling him an “invader involved in war crimes.” He was inside a UAZ Patriot vehicle when it detonated, though details about the specific accusations against him remain unclear.
Since the onset of the war in February 2022, Ukraine has been involved in targeted car bomb attacks against Russian military officers and accomplices, particularly in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Pervukha served with the 273rd Intelligence Center of the Russian Armed Forces and was based in Novosibirsk. He held the position of “chief of staff for troop service and military service security,” according to Ukrainian sources.
The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine stated, “There will be fair retribution for every crime against Ukraine,” and concluded with a patriotic shout, “Glory to Ukraine!”
Earlier this month, another car bomb claimed the life of Andriy Yuriyovych Korotkiy, who was linked to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. He died on October 4 when a car he was traveling in exploded in the southeastern city of Enerhodar.
The Ukrainian government accused Korotkiy of collaborating with the Russians and participating in repression against pro-Ukrainian personnel after the plant was seized by Russian forces in March 2022. Under Russian control, the Zaporizhzhia plant has faced significant operational challenges.
Ukrainian military intelligence asserted that Korotkiy’s actions amounted to war crimes, highlighting his role in assisting the Russian occupation and his affiliation with Putin’s United Russia party.