Kremlin-Backed War Hero Killed in Apparent Assassination

Stavropol Deputy Mayor and Ukraine War Veteran Killed in Explosion A 34-year-old deputy mayor of Stavropol, Russia, Zaur Gurtsiev, was killed in an explosion on May 29, 2025. Investigators say a homemade explosive device was used. Gurtsiev was a veteran of the war in Ukraine and had recently been featured in a Kremlin propaganda video, "Time of Heroes." This incident is the latest in a string of assassinations of pro-Kremlin bloggers, propagandists, and military figures. "Becoming a face of Russia's war potentially paints a target on your back," stated Matthew Chance, CNN's Chief Global Affairs Correspondent, in the video. The video includes footage of the explosion and its aftermath, along with images of the destruction in Mariupol, where Gurtsiev led a Russian airborne unit during one of the war's most brutal sieges. The assassination of Gurtsiev highlights the growing instability within Russia and the risks associated with high-profile support for the war in Ukraine. The investigation into his death is ongoing.