Azerbaijani-born soldier fighting for Russia dies in Kursk battles

A 28-year-old native of Astara district of Azerbaijan, Hikmat Aghayev, has died in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict zone.

He was involved in combat operations in the Russian army as a citizen of this country under contract, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

It is reported that the man died in the battles in Kursk direction.

Aghayev had been living in Novomoskovsk city of Tula region of the Russian Federation for the last 10 years.

Kyiv launched its surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region last month, taking Moscow by surprise and quickly advancing some 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the border. But the campaign slowed and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Russia had launched “counteroffensive actions.”

Ukrainian officials said Moscow has sent some 30,000 troops into the Kursk region. Two officers with knowledge of the situation said these reinforcements included soldiers from the now dissolved Wagner Private Military Company who the officers believed had been redeployed from West Africa.

The Wagner mercenaries were meant to be officially absorbed into the Russian military following the death of Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin last year. But the Ukrainian soldiers operating in Kursk said Wagner fighters were distinguishable from the rest of the Russian troops because they have much better equipment and are better trained than the regular soldiers.