Widow of general whose brigade is accused of Bucha atrocities set to join Russia’s Federation Council

The widow of a Russian general whose brigade has been accused by Ukraine of committing war crimes in Bucha, Ukraine, in 2022 is set to become a member of the Federation Council, Russia’s upper house of parliament, business daily Kommersant reported on Tuesday.

Zhanna Gudkova is the widow of Major General Mikhail Gudkov, a deputy commander in the Russian Navy who was killed in July 2025 when Ukrainian forces struck the command post of the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade in Korenevo, in Russia’s Kursk region. Gudkov had previously commanded the brigade. Vladimir Putin posthumously awarded him a second Hero of Russia medal and named the unit after him.

Ukrainian military intelligence has accused the 155th Brigade of involvement in the killing of civilians in Bucha, Irpin and Hostomel, in the Kyiv region, as well as the execution of prisoners of war.

The Primorsky regional assembly is expected to formally appoint Gudkova tomorrow. She was nominated by the ruling United Russia party, which holds 32 of the 40 seats in the assembly, making the outcome of the secret ballot a foregone conclusion, according to Kommersant.

Gudkova was elected to the regional legislature on the United Russia ticket in September.