A fighter from Dagestan was killed in a military operation.

Mustafa Gadzhibalayev was killed in a military operation. Since its beginning, at least 1,932 soldiers from Dagestan have been officially recognized as killed.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," by May 14, officials and security forces had recognized at least 1,931 servicemen from Dagestan as killed in combat in Ukraine.

Mustafa Gadzhibalayev was killed in a military operation on February 25, the Tabasaran District administration reported. He was born on December 13, 2001, in the village of Dyubek. His family lived in the Stavropol Territory for a time, then returned to Dyubek. After completing ninth grade, Mustafa enrolled in driving school and then worked as a KAMAZ driver in the Moscow region, constructing highways. On February 2, 2026, he volunteered for a special military operation. He was killed near the village of Stelmakhovka in the Svatovsky district of the Luhansk People's Republic. He was awarded the Order of Courage (posthumously), according to a post on the district administration's Telegram channel on May 13. Thus, at least 1,932 combatants from Dagestan have been officially recognized as killed in Ukraine. The "Caucasian Knot" maintains a list of names of natives of the North Caucasus and Southern Federal Districts killed in the military operation. The list was compiled based on data officially released by government officials and security agencies, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Northeastern Military District Statistics: Losses Are Growing in Southern Russia."

13:40 May 9, 2026

The number of fighters from southern Russia killed in Ukraine has exceeded 9,100

At least 4,494 fighters from the North Caucasus Federal District and 4,607 from the Southern Federal District have been officially recognized as killed in the military operation in Ukraine.

On May 13, the name of another native of the Tabasaran District of Dagestan killed in Ukraine was revealed - Shamil Abdullaev.

Dagestan ranks first among the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District in the number of those killed, whose names have been officially released by the authorities. Dagestan's head, Sergei Melikov, was the first government official to announce back in February 2022 that a Russian soldier had been killed in Ukraine, acknowledging the death of officer Nurmagomed Gadzimagomedov.

State awards, memorial plaques, and appearances on Channel One do not guarantee state support for the families of those killed, according to the Caucasian Knot article "Three Comrades Served: How Authorities Are Depriving Families of Killed Volunteers of Benefits," which describes the stories of the slain soldiers. "He participated in combat operations for many years and holds two Orders of Courage. But no official honors were bestowed upon his family," a relative of one of them said.

The "Caucasian Knot" also reported that 18-year-old Said Murtazaliev from Dagestan was tortured by security forces in the Moscow region to sign a contract with the Ministry of Defense. Commanders in the combat zone forced him to collect money, after which the young man was declared missing. "I myself was sent to the assault, where Comrade Spartak said that an order had been received to reset me," Murtazaliev said in his last video message sent to his mother.