Ukrainian commandos claim to have killed a Russian general near besieged Kharkiv, in a bitter blow to tyrant Vladimir Putin.
The Chief Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine's defence ministry said in a statement Major General Vitaly Gerasimov was killed on Monday, along with several other officers.
The Kremlin has not commented on the reports.
Gerasimov, first deputy commander of Russia's 41st army, is the second of Putin’s generals to die in the invasion after Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky was taken out by a sniper.
The statement read: “Another loss among the senior command staff of the occupying army.
“During the fighting near Kharkiv, Vitaly Gerasimov, a Russian military leader, major general, chief of staff and first deputy commander of the 41st Army of the Central Military District of Russia, was killed. A number of senior Russian army officers were also killed and wounded.
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“Vitaly Gerasimov took part in the second Chechen war and the Russian military operation in Syria. He received a medal ‘for the return of the Crimea’."
Several high ranking Russians have been killed so far in Ukraine, including Colonel Konstantin Zizevsky of the 247th Air Assault Regiment and Air Assault Brigade Lieutenant Colonel Denis Glebov.
The statement also suggested there were “significant problems” with communication in the Russian army.
It follows suggestions generals have been moved to the frontline owing to issues getting through to their officers on the fields.
Putin previously confirmed the death of Sukhovetsky, the commanding general of the Russian 7th Airborne Division and a deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army, during a speech.
Ukraine says its forces have killed more than 11,000 Russian troops since the start of the deadly invasion on February 24 while Moscow has so far confirmed about 500 losses.
Neither side has divulged Ukrainian losses.
It comes as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky is preparing to speak to MPs later today about the Russian invasion while Boris Johnson continues to encourage Western leaders to punish Russia for the invasion.
Zelensky will address the House of Commons at 5pm by video link after Speaker Lindsay Hoyle approved a request for a "historic address".
Last night the Ministry of Defence said Russia continued to target civilian evacuation corridors in Ukraine.
The latest intelligence update said: "Russia continues to directly target evacuation corridors, resulting in the death of several civilians whilst trying to evacuate Irpin.
"Due to heavy fighting in the town, it has reportedly been without heat, water or electricity for days."
Attempts to evacuate besieged towns and cities in Ukraine have so far failed owing to continuous Russian shelling at would-be evacuees.
