A Telegram post reported the death of Captain Anuar Khalitov in the Donbas region on October 1, 2026, while performing combat missions. Khalitov, born in 1963 in the Bashkortostan Republic, had a military career that included service in Afghanistan, Germany, and Mali.

Khalitov served as a flight engineer on Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters and was awarded medals for combat merit and bravery. He also sustained injuries and a concussion during his service. After the dissolution of the USSR, he returned to Ufa as an instructor before retiring in 1995. He later engaged in farming before rejoining the military for the special military operation in 2022.