Dmitry Utkin

Dmitry Utkin
Dmitry Utkin
	Utkin's passport photo
Native name	Дмитрий Валерьевич Уткин
Born	11 June 1970; Asbest, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Soviet Union
Died	23 August 2023 (aged 53); Kuzhenkino, Tver Oblast, Russia
Cause of death	Airplane crash
Allegiance	Russian Armed Forces (1993–2013); Slavonic Corps (2013); Wagner Group (2014–2023);
Branch	GRU (1993–2013)
Rank	Lieutenant colonel (1993–2013)
Commands	2nd Spetsnaz Brigade (1993–2013); 700th Spetsnaz Detachment Wagner Group (2014–2023);
Battles / wars	Syrian Civil War; Russo-Ukrainian War; ;
Awards	Order of Courage (4)

Dmitry Valerievich Utkin (Russian: Дмитрий Валерьевич Уткин; 11 June 1970 – 23 August 2023) was a Russian military officer and mercenary. He served as a special forces officer in the GRU, where he held the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was the co-founder and military commander of the Russian state-funded Wagner Group, with his military alias reportedly being Wagner. Utkin was a neo-Nazi. He rarely made public appearances, but was allegedly the commander of the private military company, while Yevgeny Prigozhin was its owner and public face. Utkin was awarded four Orders of Courage of Russia.

Utkin was killed on 23 August 2023 when a plane carrying him, Prigozhin and eight others crashed in Tver Oblast, leaving no survivors.