Russian War Hero Vanishes Without Trace: Veteran's Disappearance Sparks Multiple Theories

A Hero of Russia awarded personally by President Vladimir Putin, Alexey Asylkhanov, has gone missing in the city of Yurga in the Kemerovo Region in early April 2026. The veteran of the special military operation left home “for work,” took only minimal belongings, got into a car with an unknown person, and disappeared. Searches for the serviceman have been ongoing for more than ten days, but no trace of him has yet been found. Circumstances of the Disappearance Asylkhanov left home on April 3. He told his wife he was going to work—he had been teaching safety and defense basics at a college in Yurga. However, his wife Valeria Asylkhanova noted that his workday usually began in the morning, while on the day of his disappearance he left home around 4:00 PM local time, when students were no longer at the college.