Putin suffers ANOTHER huge loss as two top Russian commanders are killed by Ukrainian troops fighting to take control of Bakhmut
- Two of Russia’s top commanders have been killed amid fierce fighting in Ukraine
Two of Russia’s most senior commanders were killed today amid fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Commander Vyacheslav Makarov of the 4th Motorized Rifle Brigade and Deputy Commander Yevgeny Brovko of a separate unit were killed trying to repel Ukrainian attacks.
The battle for Bakhmut has been raging for a year as Ukrainian and Russian troops even had to fight hand-to-hand with bayonets.
He said Makarov led troops from the front line while Brovko “heroically died, suffering multiple shrapnel wounds”.
The Ministry of Defense rarely announces the deaths of military commanders in its daily briefings, as a string of senior officers were killed in the early months of the conflict.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Commander Vyacheslav Makarov (pictured) of the 4th Motorized Rifle Brigade had been killed
Russian Defense Ministry deputy commander Yevgeny Brovko (pictured) of a separate unit was killed trying to repel Ukrainian attacks
It happened when a massive fireball and mushroom cloud erupted over a Ukrainian town following an attack on an ammunition silo.
Russia reportedly sent 21 drones as part of the offensive and while 17 were shot down, four found their target in the western city of Khmelnytskyi.
Vladimir Putin appears to be targeting Ukrainian missile storage centers as he prepares for a counter-offensive in kyiv.
Following Khmelnytskyi’s outburst, officials said of the “nearly 30” who were miraculously injured, only two required hospitalization.
Educational and medical institutions, administrative buildings, industrial facilities, high-rise buildings and private residences were damaged in the attack.
A pro-war Russian source said: “We seek to destroy weapons and ammunition stored by Ukraine in NATO countries.
“It’s a big hit but we need more because we know Ukraine now has military firepower superior to us in many areas.”
A massive fireball and mushroom cloud erupted over the western town of Khmelnytskyi following an attack on an ammunition silo
Vladimir Putin appears to be targeting ammunition warehouses in western Ukraine as Kiev counteroffensive approaches
Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said: “Unfortunately not all drones were destroyed that night – 17 out of 21 drones [unmanned aerial vehicles]. There were four hits in the Khmelnytskyi region.
Residents reported blown windows and roofs of homes.
There has been speculation that Ukraine may try to capture areas in Russia proper and use them as bargaining chips in possible peace negotiations to end the war.
But Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was preparing a counter-offensive aimed simply at liberating Russian-occupied areas, not attacking Russian territory.
It came after Putin launched an attack on warehouses in the town of Ternopil on Saturday, minutes before electronic music duo Tvorchi – from that region – were due to perform in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Two people were injured in the attacks, officials confirmed. Tvorchi held up a sign bearing the name of their hometown during their performance in Liverpool.
