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Stanislav Orlov, Head of Notorious “Espanola” Neo-Nazi Brigade, Reportedly Killed Amid $18M Theft Probe
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Stanislav Orlov, the founder of the Russian reconnaissance and sabotage brigade “Espanola”, has been killed in Russia, Militarnyi reported on December 19, citing Russian war correspondents and statements from the unit itself.
According to information published by pro-Russian military bloggers, Orlov, known by the callsign “Spaniard,” died from gunshot wounds sustained during his detention. He was reportedly accused of illegally misappropriating 1.5 billion rubles (approximately $18.5 million).
The pro-Kremlin outlet Mash claimed that Orlov had been in a coma for several days prior to his death, though the exact cause of the coma was not disclosed.
In a statement released by the brigade, relatives and associates announced plans for a farewell ceremony, describing Orlov as the “leader, creator, and inspiration” behind Espanola.
At the same time, the unit admitted it does not yet know the precise circumstances, location, or perpetrators involved in his death, stating that Russian investigative authorities are still determining the details.
Earlier reports suggested that another Espanola volunteer, Oleksii Zhyvov, may also have been detained alongside Orlov in connection with an alleged illegal arms trafficking case. However, there was no official confirmation, and Zhyvov later stated publicly that he was unharmed.
Orlov arrived in the Russian-occupied Donbas in 2014, joining militants linked to Igor Bezler’s brigade. He later organized and commanded a reconnaissance unit known as “Skull and Bones.” In 2022, he founded the Espanola brigade, which included hundreds of far-right extremists and neo-Nazis.
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The unit became widely known for extreme brutality, including documented calls to torture Ukrainian prisoners of war and acts of violence against civilians. Espanola members openly advocated mutilation of POWs and defined civilians as legitimate targets unless they cooperated with Russian forces.
In October 2025, the brigade announced its disbandment, and on December 18 it confirmed that it no longer exists as a unified combat unit. Its naval and medical detachments were reorganized into separate formations, while its reconnaissance center “Melodiya” became an independent structure. Several assault units were later formed from remnants of the brigade.
In November 2025, Ukraine’s Defense Forces eliminated Anton Havrin, a Russian “lieutenant colonel” of the Espanola unit who had fought against Ukraine since 2014.
Earlier, it was reported that Russian soldiers disguised in civilian clothing attempted to infiltrate Ukrainian positions on the Huliaipole sector of the front in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine but were detected and killed by border guards.
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