Ukrainian forces have killed Russian Lieutenant-General Andrei Mordvichev, after hitting an airfield in Chornobayivka, near Kherson airport.
The general staff of Ukraine’s army, stated this in a social media post, making Mordvichev the fifth Russian general killed since Russian invaded Ukraine.
The Kremlin has not confirmed Mordvichev’s death.
“The commander of the 8th military army of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation of Lieutenant General Andriy Mordvichev was destroyed as a result of the fire attack on the opponent,” the general staff of the armed forces of Ukraine wrote on social media.
They added: “Based on the fact that the enemy has suffered major losses in personnel, it is likely that the Russian military and political leadership will make a decision … to prolong the length of the war.”
WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in an alleged effort to degrade the military capability of its Southern neighbour and root out people it called dangerous nationalists.
Ukrainian officials claimed that Russia “continues to bear significant losses” and that there is “a low level of morale” among their military forces.
They also said on Saturday morning that their fighter jets and anti-aircraft missile forces had hit “12 enemy air targets: 2 planes, 3 helicopters, 3 UAVs and 4 cruise missiles.”
Ukraine’s president Volodymr Zelensky claimed on Thursday that a fourth Russian general had been killed during the fighting.
An adviser to the interior ministry later named him as Major General Oleg Mityaev.
Analysts believe that around 20 generals are leading the Russian operations in Ukraine, the BBC reported.
A person within Zelensky’s inner circle told the Wall Street Journal that Ukraine had a military intelligence team that was dedicated to taking out high-ranking Russian officers.
“They look for high profile generals, pilots, artillery commanders,” the source said.