Vladimir “Vokha” Zhoga has been killed, so says the Donetsk People’s Republic and Russian state media. Zhoga was the commander of the Sparta Separate Reconnaissance Battalion who was killed in action in the town of Volnovakha, Donetsk.
“Today, the commander of the Sparta separate reconnaissance battalion, Guards Col. Vladimir Zhoga (nom de guerre Vokha), died like a hero in Volnovakha,” Pushilin wrote in his Telegram channel.
According to the DPR leader, Zhoga was mortally wounded during an operation to ensure the safe exit of civilians from Volnovakha.
“Sparta men were providing a cover for the evacuation of civilians, mostly women and children. Nationalists opened fire at them,” Pushilin wrote.
The Sparta Battalion is a rebel militant group of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) formerly led by the Russian-born Arsen Pavlov (callsign “Motorola“) militant until his assassination in October 2016. The unit took part is several major battles in the 2014 Donbas War such as the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport. It currently has about 7,000 members.
