Russia ‘loses its 40th high-ranking officer’ as another lieutenant colonel is killed in Ukraine

Russia has reportedly lost its fortieth high-ranking army officer since the begin of the battle in Ukraine.

Lieutenant Colonel Denis Mezhuev was killed on the frontline.

Mezhuev commanded the Sevastopol Crimson Banner regiment below the first guards motor rifle division, which moved from Kyiv to the battle-scarred east in current days.

A social media publish by a junior Russian politician learn: ‘Denis Mezhuev died in battle. His son may be happy with his dad.’

Pro-Putin poet Andrey Kovalev known as on the Kremlin to award Lt Col Mezhuev the nation’s high honour posthumously. He stated: ‘For his deed he’s worthy of the title of Hero of Russia.’

Ukraine says Russia has now lost a complete of seven generals and 33 colonels

The overall Russian losses since the battle started on 24 February are believed to be within the region of 20,000 however Moscow has failed to offer correct figures.

Different latest high-ranking officers killed embody Lt Gen Yakov Rezantsev, commander of Russia’s forty ninth mixed military, who was killed in a strike close to the southern metropolis of Kherson on March 25.

The pro-Kremlin Wargonzo Telegram channel reported that Ukrainian marines from the thirty sixth brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces cooperated in an operation ‘to evacuate the physique of our high-ranking officer from the Illich manufacturing unit in Mariupol’ with out naming the general however giving his rank.

They wrote: ‘After yesterday’s operation to eradicate a neo-Nazi breakthrough from the Illich plant, the surrendered Ukrainian marines not only shared details about the place the final’s physique was, but additionally volunteered to take part within the DNR Individuals’s Militia’s operation to evacuate it.

‘Specifically, they acted as guides and confirmed a secure route,’ stated the outlet.

‘For a very long time the neo-Nazis refused to hand over his physique or report his whereabouts. As a substitute, Azov fighters posted a video of mocking the corpse.’