Russian Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky Killed In Ukraine

Russian Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky killed by Ukrainians in ‘major demotivator’ for invading army

A high-ranking Russian general has been killed during fighting in Ukraine, in what experts say will be a bitter blow for Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Andrei Sukhovetsky was the commanding general of the Russian 7th Airborne Division and a deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army, and by far the most senior Russian figure to have died in the conflict so far.

A military source said Maj Gen Sukhovetsky had been killed by a sniper.

Mr Putin confirmed that a general had been killed in a speech updating the Russian people on the progress of the conflict, eight days into the deadly invasion.

Maj Gen Sukhovetsky’s death, which was confirmed by a local officers’ organisation in the Krasnodar region in southern Russia, will be seen as another sign Mr Putin’s war effort is not going to plan.

He was a respected paratrooper, practised in missions in “hostile territory”, and reportedly had been decorated for his role in the annexation of Crimea.

Christo Grozev, executive director of investigative journalism website Bellingcat, tweeted that confirmation of his death would be a “major demotivator” for the Russian army.

Maj Gen Sukhovetsky, 47, had steadily risen through the military ranks to take a series of leadership positions, and he took part in Russia’s military campaign in Syria.

Russia claims 498 of its soldiers have been killed in Ukraine and another 1,597 have been wounded.

However, British officials say the actual number of those killed and wounded will almost certainly be considerably higher and will continue to rise.

The UN human rights office says at least 227 civilians have been killed and 525 wounded in Ukraine since the start of the invasion a week ago. Ukraine’s state emergency service has said more than 2,000 civilians have died.