Russian 11th Tank Regiment CO, Who Executed POWs, Killed By Ukraine Strike

The commander of Russia's 11th Tank Regiment was killed by a direct Ukrainian artillery strike on his vehicle as he was inspecting his unit's forward positions. 

If that sounds more like intent and random luck, it probably is. Karaev had been accused of murdering Ukrainian prisoners of war. JL

Vlad Litnarovych reports in United 24:

Major Alexei Karavaev, commander of Russia’s 11th Tank Regiment, was killed by a direct hit from a Ukrainian artillery round on his vehicle while he was traveling to inspect forward positions in the Kharkiv sector. Karavaev is (an accused) war criminal known by the call sign “Father,” who executed prisoners of war in the Kharkiv Region. Investigators linked him to the unit through phone-book records in which his number had reportedly been saved under entries including “Sasha’s Battalion Commander Vovchansk” and “Father SVO 82 Regiment 1 Battalion.” 

Ukrainian artillery killed Maj. Alexei Karavaev, commander of Russia’s 11th Tank Regiment, while he was traveling to inspect forward positions in the Kharkiv sector, according to Ukrainian OSINT project X-Hory OSINT on October 6. 

The war criminal known by the call sign “Father,” who executed prisoners of war in the Kharkiv Region, was killed by a direct hit from a Ukrainian artillery round on his vehicle.

 

Researchers identified a Russian obituary for Karavaev, who used the 

call sign “Otets . A Russian Telegram channel associated with the Sever grouping of forces also reported that Karavaev was killed overnight between October 3 and 4 while traveling to check positions near the front. 

The 11th Tank Regiment is part of Russia’s 18th Motor Rifle Division under the 11th Army Corps. Its permanent base is in Gusev, Kaliningrad region, but the unit is currently fighting in the Kharkiv direction.

Before taking command of the regiment, Karavaev may have served with the 82nd Motor Rifle Regiment of Russia’s 69th Motor Rifle Division, part of the 6th Combined Arms Army, according to OSINT researchers and Russian outlet ASTRA.

Investigators linked him to the unit through phone-book records in which his number had reportedly been saved under entries including “Sasha’s Battalion Commander Vovchansk” and “Father SVO 82 Regiment 1 Battalion.” 

Those records may indicate service in the regiment’s 1st Battalion, although they do not independently establish his exact position or the dates of his assignment.

Troops from that battalion were among the Russian forces holding positions inside the Vovchansk Aggregate Plant during fighting in summer 2024.

Ukrainian military intelligence units retook the facility on September 24, 2024, clearing all 30 buildings in the complex and capturing about 20 Russian servicemen.

Earlier, a Ukrainian FPV drone strike killed Colonel Oleksandr Isaiev, commander of Russia’s 8th Artillery Regiment and a former Ukrainian officer who switched sides during Russia’s attempted annexation of Crimea in 2014.