Vladimir Zhoga was shot to death in Volnovakha, Ukraine. He is the third senior officer to lose his life during the crisis.

Zhoga’s demise was confirmed via a Telegram post from Denis Pushilin on Sunday, March 6, 2022.

According to accounts, Zhoga died as a result of injuries sustained during an operation to guarantee the safe evacuation of Volnovakha’s civilians.

In the post Pushilin wrote: “Today, the commander of the Sparta separate reconnaissance battalion, Guards Col. Vladimir Zhoga (nom de guerre Vokha), died like a hero in Volnovakha,”

“Sparta men were providing a cover for evacuation of civilians, mostly women and children. Nationalists opened fire at them,” wrote Pushilin.

Before Zhoga the Russians had lost Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky. He was killed in the battle for Hostomel airfield in Kyiv.

Vladimir Zhoga and his group have been fighting in Ukraine since 2014. He became the group’s leader in 2016 after Arsen Pavlov.

Zhoga was known for brutal war crimes and shooting Ukrainian POWs, as stated in the Daily Mail.

Previously, the Sparta Battalion led by him has taken part in battles for Slavyansk and the airport of Donetsk.

The group has also been waging war in the Donbas region and has been behind a series of deadly attacks on Ukrainian military.

The warlord who is also known as “Voha” has been described as a short, very calm, laconic young man with a small beard.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed the Executive Order on awarding the title of Hero of the Russian Federation to Vladimir Zhoga.

As stated in Kremlin:  “The title of Hero of the Russian Federation has been awarded to Vladimir Zhoga (posthumously) for acts of heroism and courage while fulfilling his civic duty,”

Vladimir Zhoga’s wife and children’s details are yet to place on the Internet. According to many sources, the warlord was born in Slavyansk.

His father Artyom Zhoga will serve as the new commander of the Sparta Battalion. Both had joined the Donetsk People’s Militia together in 2014.