Russian lieutenant featured in Putin’s New Year address to nation dies in Ukraine

Yuri Shnayder, a Russian lieutenant who was filmed in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s traditional New Year address to the nation, was killed in Ukraine on 7 February, user Necro Mancer who collects casualty data tweeted. Two people who knew Shnayder also confirmed this report to Novaya Gazeta Europe.

Grigory, one of the people who was acquainted with the lieutenant, told Novaya-Europe that he died on 7 February in the Luhansk region. According to him, Yuri was a squadron commander and died from fragmentation wounds.

The wife of the company sergeant where Shnayder served reported that the man “either threw himself on a grenade or a mortar shell”.

According to her, the explosion is believed to have killed one person and severely injured a few others.

Yuri Shnayder was born in Russia’s Siberia. The media reports that he was known as Krug (circle) as his alias.

On 31 December 2022, Putin awarded an Order of Courage to Shnayder “for repelling a powerful enemy attack”.

Following the award ceremony, Shnayder and other service members were invited to feature in the Russian leader’s New Year address.

The lieutenant returned to the frontlines on 12 January.

“On New Year’s Eve, the Commander-in-Chief awarded an Order of Courage to me. Receiving this honour <…> was a source of great joy for me. I will remember this moment for the rest of my life,” he told Izvestia.

On 31 December, Putin changed his tradition of addressing the nation with the Kremlin in the background, opting instead to speak in front of a group of service members. TASS claimed that the video was recorded in a military headquarters in Russia’s Rostov-on-Don.

In his annual speech, Putin said that 2022 was a “year of difficult but necessary decisions” and “crucial and pivotal events”. He also reminded the nation that “defending the Fatherland is a sacred duty”, lauding the “warriors of the special [military] operation” as heroes to all Russians.