Espanola, an ultranationalist paramilitary organization aligned with Russia in Ukraine, announced on Friday the ambiguous circumstances surrounding the death of its leader, Stanislav Orlov.

Orlov, known by his callsign “Spaniard,” established Espanola in the spring of 2022 shortly after Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine, integrating it into the Vostok Battalion in the occupied Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.

The members of Espanola, including Orlov, are identified as far-right Russian soccer hooligans. It has been reported that Orlov fought alongside pro-Russian forces against the Ukrainian government dating back to 2014.

On December 10, broadcaster RTVI, citing unnamed sources, reported that Orlov was killed by retaliatory gunfire during an arrest related to arms trafficking the day before. Following his death, there was a flurry of online discussions until Espanola confirmed his demise.

“Relatives and close friends of Stanislav Orlov invite everyone to bid farewell to the leader, founder, and inspiration behind Espanola,” the group shared via its Telegram channel.

They announced a memorial service to be held at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow on Monday.

Espanola did not disclose the specifics surrounding the date or circumstances of Orlov’s death.

“Currently, the central investigative authorities are working to determine the precise cause and location of his death, along with identifying those accountable,” Espanola stated on its Telegram channel.

The Investigative Committee of Russia, which examines serious crimes, has not issued any public statements concerning Orlov’s death.

Unverified accounts from pro-war bloggers claimed that Orlov died during an arrest, while others suggested that he may have been in a coma for “several days” prior to his passing.