One of Putin's most notorious mercenaries who also fought in Syria has been killed by a Ukrainian sniper, according to Russian sources.
Vladimir Andonov, 44, from the Buryatia region of Russia's Far East, was part of the infamous Wagner Group of Russian mercenaries and is believed to have been shot dead in the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine.
Andonov won himself the moniker "The Executioner" because of the brutal warmongering tactics he has used while fighting in Ukraine and in previous missions in Syria and Libya.
The Wagner Group operatives are all battle-hardened ex-paratroopers or special forces and have some of the worst records for committing war crimes across the globe.
His death was first reported by the Russian publication Moskovsky Komsomolets, which wrote: "The death in Ukraine of Vladimir Andonov, better known as Vaha, has become known.
"He died last night during a reconnaissance of the area together with his friend."
It said he likely died from a sniper shot.
Moskovsky Komsomolets said the brute previously fought for Russia in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine back in 2014, serving in the special forces and receiving a medal "For Merit in Battle".
Andonov is believed to have had a pivotal role in the mass shooting of Ukrainian prisoners of war as well as the massacre of civilians in the Donbas.
His name is also included in the Ukrainian-run "Peacemaker" database, the Ukrainian blacklist website with close ties to law enforcement agencies and hackers that lists all of the crimes of the Russian military.
Andonov's death was also to be confirmed by Russian military sources based in Buryatia on the messaging app Telegram.
One user wrote: "He died at night, during the reconnaissance of the area, together with his companion, probably killed by a sniper."
The news marks another huge military loss for Russian President Vladimir Putin who also lost two generals in a single strike overnight.
Lieutenant General Roman Berdnikov, 47, and Major General Roman Kutuzov were allegedly killed in the same ambush on a bridge in eastern Ukraine on Sunday.
Born in Kusoci, in the Mogoituiski district in 1978, Andonov enlisted in the Russian army in 1997.
"I was in Donbas in September 2014, volunteering. I was urged by the events of May 2 in Odessa, where people were burned alive. For ideological reasons, my grandfather fought in Ukraine, in Vinita, he led Bandera until 1946 ", he said in an interview given to Nomer Odin in 2017.
Another military channel on Telegram said he died with Bair Mitupov, another fighter from Buryatia.
This comes as Putin signed a decree on Monday ordering the payment of 5 million roubles (£64,587) to the families of members of Russia's National Guard who died in Ukraine and Syria.
