Aleksei Bugayev, a former member of Russia's national soccer team who played at Euro 2004, has been killed in the 34-month-old war in Ukraine, according to Russian media reports.
"Unfortunately, the news about Aleksei's death is true. It happened today," TASS news agency quoted the player's father, Ivan Bugayev, as telling the Sport24 news outlet.
RIA news agency quoted Bugayev's agent, Anton Smirnov, as saying intense fighting had made it impossible to retrieve Bugayev's body for burial.
Bugayev, dead at age 43, played two games in the 2004 European championships among his seven caps, and also played for Moscow sides Torpedo and Lokomotiv.
He ended his career in 2010 at the age of 29.
Bugayev was reportedly sentenced to almost 10 years in prison for attempted drug trafficking in September.
Russia has recruited from prisons to replenish its losses in Ukraine.
According to a BBC report earlier this year, criminals turned soldiers can earn salaries and their freedom, if they serve until the end of the war.
