The name of the killed contractor from Kalmykia has been announced.

Bembya Shovunov from Elista was killed in combat. Since the beginning of the military operation in Ukraine, authorities and security forces have acknowledged at least 270 fighters from Kalmykia as killed.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", by October 14, authorities and security forces had recognized at least 269 fighters as killed in the special military operation in Ukraine.

Bembya Shovunov was born on April 5, 1990, in Elista. He studied at the Elista Multidisciplinary Gymnasium, then entered a trade and technology college, where he trained as a cook. He served his mandatory military service in the railway troops, reported the state news agency "Kalmykia".

In February 2025, he signed a contract to participate in the special military operation. He served as a grenade launcher in the rifle platoon of the rifle company of the rifle battalion. On November 20, 2025, during fighting near the settlement of Serebryanka, Bembya went missing. His body was found on February 12, 2026.

19:59 07.10.2026

The number of killed fighters in Ukraine from southern Russia has reached 9800

At least 4872 fighters from the North Caucasus Federal District and 4928 from the Southern Federal District have been officially recognized as killed in the military operation in Ukraine.

Thus, at least 270 combatants from Kalmykia have been officially recognized as killed on the Ukrainian front. "Caucasian Knot" maintains a named list of natives from the North Caucasus Federal District and Southern Federal District who have been killed in the military operation. The list is compiled based on data officially announced by representatives of the authorities and security agencies, according to the report from "Caucasian Knot" "Statistics of the special military operation: losses are increasing for southern Russia".

It was previously reported that Nikolai Ochaev from Elista was killed in the military operation.

State awards, memorial plaques, and appearances on "Channel One" do not guarantee support from the state for the families of the killed, as stated in the material from "Caucasian Knot" "Three comrades served: how authorities deprive families of killed volunteers of benefits", which describes the stories of killed fighters. In particular, the widow of one of the killed reported that without the body, the battalion did not make payments related to the death of the serviceman.