A combatant from the Volgograd region was killed in Ukraine.

Vitaly Melikhov from the Kotovsky District was killed in combat in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the military operation, at least 1,769 soldiers from the Volgograd Region have been officially recognized as killed.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," by April 29, at least 1,768 soldiers from the Volgograd Region were officially recognized as killed in the military operation in Ukraine.

Vitaly Melikhov from the Kotovsky District was killed in the military operation, according to the Volgograd publication "Gorodskie Vesti," founded by the municipal institution "IAV."

According to the publication, the serviceman was killed on March 9, 2026. "The man died just eight days shy of his 52nd birthday – he would have turned 52 on March 17," the publication states.

Thus, at least 1,769 soldiers from the Volgograd region have been officially recognized as killed in the military operation.

The number of fighters from southern Russia killed in Ukraine has reached 9,050

"Caucasian Knot" is leading 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 "North Caucasus Military District Statistics: Losses Are Mounting for Southern Russia."

State awards, memorial plaques, and appearances on Channel One do not guarantee state support for the families of those killed, according to the Caucasian Knot report "Three Comrades Served: How the Authorities Are Depriving the Families of Killed Volunteers of Benefits," which describes the stories of the slain soldiers. "Staff from the St. Petersburg administration and the military registration and enlistment office asked me themselves if my son's body had been found. In January 2023, I told them in response to another call that the body had been found and that I was on my way to pick it up," the mother of one of the victims said.