Denis Kapustin, the commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) fighting against Russians from the Ukrainian side, has made his first public statement after a wave of reports claiming he was killed.
He apologized to those whose New Year holidays were spoiled by news of his alleged death and confirmed that he works in cooperation with Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, known as HUR.
On 27 December 2025, information appeared that Kapustin was killed on the Zaporizhzhia front. However, on 1 January, Ukraine’s HUR officially denied the reports, stating that he was alive and that Russia had failed to carry out an operation to eliminate him.
"My ‘death’ was part of a deception operation"
In his address, Kapustin confirmed that the story of his “elimination” was neither accidental nor a hoax.
“My ‘death’ was a deliberate deception operation, and it was an absolute success,” the RVC commander said.
According to him, a complex HUR special operation lasted more than a month and allowed Ukrainian intelligence to disrupt Russian security service plans by turning disinformation against the enemy itself.
He did not seek fame, but saw global support
Kapustin said he had seen graffiti, street actions, and online posts dedicated to him in Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, the United States, Australia, Sweden, and the Czech Republic, and expressed sincere gratitude to everyone who supported him and the RVC.
He admitted that he had not expected such a large-scale reaction and emphasized that he had never sought public recognition.
Kapustin thanked RVC supporters and people in different countries who organized events in his "memory".
“It was both very touching and very sad to read your messages addressed to me as someone ‘dead,’” he revealed.
"Let’s tear 2026 apart together"
“I am with you forever, my friends. Thank you for supporting me personally and the Russian Volunteer Corps. Let’s tear this 2026 apart together. It is clearly going to be a very interesting year,” Kapustin announced.
At the end of his message, he hinted at “belated New Year gifts” that supporters and comrades of the RVC would receive in the near future, making it clear that the story is far from over.
