Commander and founder of recently disbanded Russian military unit Espanola, Stanislav Orlov, confirmed dead

Stanislav Orlov, the commander and founder of the Russian military unit known as Espanola, has died at the age of 44. The group announced funeral arrangements on its Telegram channel earlier today, with the farewell ceremony to be held at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

The cause and circumstances of Orlov’s death were not disclosed. Espanola said Russia’s central investigative authorities are working to determine the exact place and cause of death, as well as any potential suspects. It said official information would be released after the investigation is completed.

Rumors about Orlov’s death had been circulating for more than a week. On Dec. 11, well-known circus animal trainer Edgard Zapashny wrote about Orlov’s death, but later deleted the post, explaining, “There are questions, but no answers yet.” Some volunteers from the unit, including Yevgeny Rasskazov, known by the call sign Topaz, said Orlov was alive and described reports of his death as an information operation by Ukraine.

On Dec. 9, the pro-Kremlin propaganda outlet Tsargrad reported the alleged detention of Stanislav Orlov and Espanola member Alexei Zhivov on suspicion of arms trafficking, referring to the pair as “military bloggers.” The report was not officially confirmed, and journalists were unable to reach either Orlov or Zhivov at the time.

On Dec. 10, Zhivov wrote that he was “on the road” and “in good health and at liberty,” adding that he had “no issues with law enforcement.” Nevertheless, that same day, Moscow-based broadcaster RTVI received several insider accounts claiming that Orlov and Zhivov had been detained and arrested. One source said Orlov had allegedly been killed “while firing back during the arrest,” while another said the detentions could be linked to a criminal case under Article 222 of Russia’s Criminal Code, which covers illegal arms trafficking. (RTVI is a Russian news network with reported ties to the state-owned Rostec defense corporation and its CEO, Sergey Chemezov.)

No official statements regarding Orlov’s death have yet been made by law enforcement authorities.

Orlov, who used the call sign “Ispanets” (lit. “The Spaniard”) was previously reported by The Insider to have been involved in directing combat drones while based in Moscow. According to that reporting, Russian forces used civilian buildings in central Moscow for military purposes, including a facility in Moscow City, the Russian capital’s skyscraper-rich business district. Video evidence analyzed by The Insider indicated that drones targeting sites in Ukraine were guided by soldiers who were physically located in the “Gorod Stolits” (City of Capitals) tower, a complex largely designated for residential apartments and offices.

In one video, participants involved in the operation said the “commander hit the target while sitting in Moscow City,” adding that remote control allowed the operator to “feel safe” and to remain “under no psychological pressure” while successfully striking a target near Chasiv Yar with an “Ovod” drone.

What is Espanola?

The Espanola unit was formed in the spring of 2022 as part of the Vostok battalion of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic.” Its core was made up of football ultras, many of whom, according to journalists and human rights groups, adhere to neo-Nazi views. The group was led by Orlov, a former member of the Red-Blue Warriors fan group who had taken part in combat in Donbas since 2014. Orlov was also a member of the Union of Donbas Volunteers, an organization linked by media reports to former Kremlin aide Vladislav Surkov.

Starting from 2023, recruitment into Espanola was carried out through the private military company Redut. In 2024, the unit was integrated into Russia’s Defense Ministry as part of the “Volunteer Corps” and was officially renamed as the 88th Reconnaissance and Sabotage Brigade. The unit's official number has been referred to (1, 2) as a reference to a coded Nazi salute (H being the eighth letter of the alphabet, and 88 translating to HH for “Heil Hitler”). In 2025, recruitment began through the Dobrokor system, which media reports have linked to Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU.

According to the independent investigative outlet Important Stories, Espanola’s activities may be connected to the state-owned Russian Railways company, as well as to the Rotenberg brothers, close allies of Vladimir Putin going all the way back to his youth in Leningrad.

The unit has claimed involvement in battles around Mariupol, Vuhledar, Avdiivka, and Chasiv Yar.

In October 2025, Espanola announced that it was disbanding. In a statement on its Telegram channel, the unit said its core members were “creating new structures within the defense system and law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation.” According to the plans, an autonomous naval detachment of Espanola will continue to operate, while the “Melodiya” (lit. “Melody”) reconnaissance center has been spun off into a separate entity. Assault and electronic warfare units are also set to be formed, drawing from the remnants of the former group.