According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the commander-in-chief of the Russian Special Task Force Syria, Colonel Oleg Pechevisty has been killed in Syria. The incident reportedly occurred on 26 May 23. He reportedly was charged with leading the GRU support to Russian paratroopers and special forces in country.
According to SOHR:
”Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham fired several shells on the headquarters of the regime forces command on Al-Jeb Al-Ahmar frontline in the northern countryside of Latakia.”
Interestingly, the original claim came on the night of May 28-29, when the Israeli Telegram channel Bitahon shotef, reported the killing:
“He did the most dangerous and difficult work as part of the GRU, helping the paratroopers in battles.”
A corroborating message was published on the official page of the Podporozhsky District Administration on VK and then in the Podporozhskaya Pravda newspaper.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has not issued an official statement.
Oleg Viktorovich Pechevisty was born in 1973 in Podporozhye. He graduated from the Higher Command School in Moscow. He took part in the fighting in Chechnya, Georgia and Syria. He reportedly arrived in Syria in December 2022. His funeral will reportedly take place in his native city of Podporozhye, in the Leningrad region.