18-year-old Russian Soldier Born in 2008 Confirmed Dead in Ukraine War
BBC and Mediazona identified Alisher Svirin as the first Russian soldier born in 2008 to be killed in the Ukraine war. The 18-year-old died on May 1, 2026 while serving as a contract machine gunner in the 123rd Separate Guards Motorised Rifle Brigade and was buried in the Moscow region. The reporting notes that since the invasion began, at least 200 Russian 18-year-olds have been killed.