Euros football star killed in Ukraine fighting for Putin – after signing up to war to escape 9.5-year drugs conviction

Aleksei Bugayev, a former Russian football star, was murdered while fighting in the battle with Ukraine after joining Vladimir Putin's soldiers following a drug trafficking conviction.

Bugayev, who died at the age of 43, rose to prominence as a footballer, playing for Moscow teams Torpedo and Lokomotiv, then Krasnodar, and earning seven caps for the Russian national team.

Aleksei Bugayev.

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He played two games for Russia at Euro 2004, before retiring from football in 2010 at the age of 29.

Bugayev's life beyond football, however, was marred by personal difficulties, including his involvement in a heroin trafficking operation last year. He was sentenced to over ten years in jail in September.

According to reports, he was attempting to sell nearly half a kilogram of methylephedrine, a substance forbidden by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Bugayev could have faced up to 20 years in prison if he had not pled guilty in court after being detained since November 2023.

Since his conviction, he has proclaimed his intention to engage in the Ukraine war, citing Russia's efforts to recruit convicts for the battle.

His father, Ivan, has verified the devastating news of his son's death on the front lines while speaking with Sport24. He stated: "Unfortunately, the news of Aleksei's death is correct. It occurred today.

According to Russian media, Bugayev's agent, Anton Smirnov, stated that retrieving his remains for burial was "impossible" owing to the strong fighting in the location where he died.

Russia has been battling Ukraine for over three years, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has been keen to enlist as many soldiers as possible despite growing casualties on the front lines.

There have been rumors that about 200,000 Russian servicemen have been killed since the conflict began, and Putin just passed legislation allowing convicts to join the battle. Some have even been permitted to join the army before their trials have been completed.