A fighter from Dagestan was killed in the SVO zone.
Marsel Baltayev from the Novolaksky District was killed in combat. Since the beginning of the Russian operation in Ukraine, authorities have officially acknowledged at least 1,971 soldiers from Dagestan killed there.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," by June 5, officials and security forces had officially acknowledged at least 1,970 fighters from Dagestan killed in Ukraine.
The Novolaksky District administration announced on its Telegram channel that Marsel Baltayev was killed in the military operation zone.
Marsel Baltayev was born in the village of Novokuli in the Novolaksky District. After finishing school, he served in the Russian Army. After returning, he decided to sign a military service contract and remain in the Armed Forces. He was killed on August 2, 2023.
Thus, at least 1,971 combatants from Dagestan have been officially recognized as killed on the Ukrainian front. The "Caucasian Knot" maintains a list of names of natives of the North Caucasus and Southern Federal Districts killed in the military operation. The list was compiled based on data officially released by government officials and security agencies, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Northeastern Military District Statistics: Losses Are Growing for Southern Russia".
On August 1, 2025, the Novolaksky District administration reported that Ikran Ikramov was killed in fighting in Ukraine.
Dagestan ranks first among the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District in the number of those killed, whose names have been officially released by the authorities. Dagestan's head, Sergey Melikov, was the first government official to announce back in February 2022 that a Russian soldier had been killed in Ukraine, acknowledging the death of officer Nurmagomed Gadzimagomedov.
The "Caucasian Knot" also reported that 18-year-old Said Murtazaliev from Dagestan was tortured by security forces in the Moscow region to sign a contract with the Ministry of Defense. In the combat zone, commanders forced him to collect money, after which the young man was declared missing. "I myself was sent to the assault, where comrade 'Spartak' said that an order had been received to erase me," Murtazaliev said in his final video message sent to his mother.