Ukraine claims that a prominent Russian commander was killed in battle near Kharkiv

            8th of March, Kiev According to Ukrainian defence officials, a key Russian general was killed during action near Kharkiv, the country’s second biggest city.

The killed general was identified as Vitaly Gerasimov, a major general, chief of staff, and first deputy commander of Russia’s 41st Army of the Central Military District, by Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence on Monday night.

Gerasimov took part in the Second Chechen War, which lasted from August 1999 to April 2000, as well as the Russian military operation in Syria, according to the statement.

“He won a medal for the reunification of Crimea”, it read.

“Data received also suggest major challenges with communication in the occupier’s army and with evacuation of their broken units”, according to Defence Intelligence.

According to the statement, “a number of high Russian army leaders were also killed or injured”.