Aleksei Bugayev, a former player for Russia’s national soccer team who participated in Euro 2004, has reportedly been killed in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to statements from his father and agent cited by Russian media on Sunday.
Reports confirm that Aleksei has indeed passed away. According to a report from the TASS news agency, the player’s father, Ivan Bugayev, informed the Sport24 news outlet that the incident occurred yesterday.
The RIA news agency reported that Anton Smirnov, the agent of Bugayev, stated that fierce combat has hindered efforts to recover Bugayev’s body for burial.
Bugayev has passed away at the age of 43. He represented the Russian national team in two matches during the 2004 European Championship. His career included stints with Moscow clubs Torpedo and Lokomotiv, along with various provincial teams. He concluded his professional journey in 2010, having reached the age of 29.
In September, a court in southern Russia handed down a sentence of nine and a half years in prison to Bugayev, who was convicted on drug trafficking charges.
He subsequently announced his plan to enlist in the conflict in Ukraine. Russian authorities are reportedly enlisting individuals from prisons to participate in the ongoing conflict.
