Aleksei Bugayev, a 43-year-old former Russian international footballer, has tragically lost his life while fighting in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“Sadly, the news of Aleksei’s death is true. It happened today,” his father, Ivan Bugayev, confirmed to the Sport24 news outlet, as reported by TASS.
According to RIA news agency, Bugayev’s agent, Anton Smirnov, stated that intense fighting in the area has made it impossible to retrieve the footballer’s body for burial.
Bugayev, who represented Russia in two matches during the 2004 European Championship, also played for Moscow clubs Torpedo and Lokomotiv, as well as other regional teams. He retired from professional football in 2010 at the age of 29.
In September, Bugayev was sentenced to nine and a half years in prison on drug trafficking charges by a court in southern Russia. Shortly after, he declared his intention to enlist and fight in the Ukraine war.
The conflict, which has been ongoing for nearly three years, has seen Russian President Vladimir Putin intensify recruitment efforts amid growing losses on the frontlines.
