Russian Submarine Commander Assassinated While Jogging

Stanislav Rzhitsky, a former captain of a Black Sea Fleet submarine, was found shot dead in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar, Russian media reported on Monday.

Rzhitsky, 42, was the deputy head of the local mobilization department in Krasnodar. His body was found with gunshot wounds near Beregovaya Street on Monday morning, state-run news agency Tass reported. He was reportedly jogging in the area.

The Russian Investigative Committee has launched an investigation into his death.

"The investigation was assigned to the first department for very important cases at the regional office of the Russian Investigative Committee," a statement from the committee said.

Newsweek has contacted the press service of the Krasnodar administration via email for comment.

The mobilization department in Krasnodar where Rzhitsky worked would be tasked with conscripting Russian men to fight in Ukraine. Reports of arson attacks against enlistment centers ramped up after the fall of 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization order.

Rzhitsky commanded the Krasnodar submarine in the Russian Navy, which was equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles. The Krasnodar was built for the Black Sea fleet and was designed "to fight surface ships and submarines, lay mines, and conduct reconnaissance," according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

According to a regional government website, the Krasnodar submarine entered service with the Russian Navy in 2015, and Rzhitsky had been in command of the submarine's crew since December 2016.

He also commanded the Russian submarine B-871 Alrosa, the Defense Ministry reported in 2015.

It isn't clear if Rzhitsky left the submarine fleet entirely.

Ukrainian media claimed Rzhitsky was among a number of Russian submarine captains who were involved in carrying out an attack on Vinnytsia in Ukraine on July 14, 2022, which killed 27 people.

According to the SHOT Telegram channel, Rzhitsky was shot four times in the back and chest while on a morning jog near a local sports facility on Monday morning, and he died at the scene. The attacker then fled.

Telegram channel Baza reported that the attacker had been monitoring Rzhitsky for a "long time" and was familiar with his daily routine. The attacker reportedly chose to shoot the 42-year-old in a location with no surveillance camera coverage.

The former mayor of Krasnodar, Evgeny Pervyshov, offered condolences to Rzhitsky's family and friends in a post on his Telegram channel.

"Today in Krasnodar Stanislav Rzhitsky, deputy head of the department for mobilization work of the city administration, was shot in the back," he wrote.

"I knew him as the commander of the Krasnodar submarine. At the mayor's office, we maintained close relations with her command and crew, we met often. Condolences to the family and all relatives...he was a true patriot, a good man and a loving father," Pervyshov added.

Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war? Let us know via worldnews@newsweek.com.

Update 7/11/2023; 6:00 a.m. EDT: This article was updated with details and reaction.