Retired Major General Kanamat Botashev was killed in the war in Ukraine. His death was confirmed by Russian propaganda media by publishing a photo from the funeral.
Major General Botashev is a Russian pilot of the highest rank, whose death became known during the war in Ukraine.
The Russian Air Force wrote that the 63-year-old Botashev was driving a Su-25 attack aircraft that was shot down by the Ukrainian military in the sky over Luhansk oblast on May 22.
Russian media report that Botashev was released from the Russian army in 2012. Then the major general asked an acquaintance of the colonel to fly a plane, to which Botashev did not have access. The plane crashed, and Botashev and his friend managed to eject. After that, the military was released from the army and tried.
It is unknown why the retired general took part in the war in Ukraine. Russiaʼs Defense Ministry did not comment on the death.