The infamous mercenary nicknamed ‘The Executioner’ of the Wagner Group was killed by Ukrainian snipers

The New York Post, citing Russian-language media, reported that Vladimir Andonov, 44, a member of the Wagner Group, was shot dead by a Ukrainian sniper in Kharkiv last week.

“He was killed overnight during a reconnaissance of the area, along with a comrade, most likely at the hands of a sniper,” a Russian-language source said.

The Russian newspaper Moskovskij Komsomolets describes Andonov, who operates under the codename “Vaha”, as a volunteer from the Russian Republic of Buryatia, who rose to fame in 2014 when he first went to Ukraine to fight with the separatists. in the eastern part of this country.

According to the New York Post, Andonov was nicknamed “The Executioner” while fighting in the Donbass region.

Andonov later traded firearms for hire in Libya and Syria and was awarded two medals for his bravery in fighting for the Wagner Corporation.

Andonov is believed to be the most senior Russian mercenary killed in Ukraine. News of his death came just days after Major General Roman Kutuzov and Lieutenant General Roman Brednikov were reported dead in battle in the Donbass region.

Zhambal-Zhamso Zhanaev, an official in Buryatia in Russia, where Andonov lived with his family, also confirmed his death to Moskovskij Komsomolets and said his body would be sent home for burial.

Andonov served in Russia’s regular army from 1997 to 2005, Moskovskij Komsomolets reported.

In an interview after returning home from fighting in the Donbass in 2017, Andonov said he decided to fight in Ukraine as a volunteer because his grandfather had fought here in the past. The War II.