Ukraine-Russia War: Russian general killed in eastern Ukraine

Russian forces continue to storm Sievierodonetsk, controlling eastern part of the city * Zelensky visits front-line troops in Zaporizhzhia

A view shows buildings destroyed by the shelling, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Borodianka, Kyiv region, Ukraine, May 2, 2022 (photo credit: REUTERS/ZOHRA BENSEMRA)
A view shows buildings destroyed by the shelling, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Borodianka, Kyiv region, Ukraine, May 2, 2022
(photo credit: REUTERS/ZOHRA BENSEMRA)

A Russian general was killed in eastern Ukraine, a Russian state media journalist said on Sunday, adding to the string of high-ranking military casualties sustained by Moscow.

The report, published on the Telegram messaging app by state television reporter Alexander Sladkov, did not say precisely when and where Major General Roman Kutuzov was killed.

There was no immediate comment from the Russian defense ministry.

Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers launched missiles at Kyiv from the Caspian Sea early on Sunday and two of the Ukrainian capital's eastern districts were rocked by explosions, Ukraine's air force and the city's mayor said.

The attack targeted railway infrastructure in Kyiv, said Serhiy Leshchenko, an aide to President Volodomyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff. At least one person was hospitalised though no deaths were immediately reported, Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said.

A self-propelled howitzer 2S1 Gvozdika of pro-Russian troops fires a leaflet shell in the direction of Sievierodonetsk to disperse information materials from their combat positions in the Luhansk region, Ukraine, May 24, 2022. (credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO)
A self-propelled howitzer 2S1 Gvozdika of pro-Russian troops fires a leaflet shell in the direction of Sievierodonetsk to disperse information materials from their combat positions in the Luhansk region, Ukraine, May 24, 2022. (credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO)

Dark smoke rose into the sky above the Darnytskyi and Dniprovskyi districts where the explosions rang out.

"According to preliminary data, the (Russians) launched missiles from Tu-95 aircraft from the Caspian Sea," the Ukrainian air forces said in a statement.

The Russian Defense Ministry later claimed that the missiles had destroyed tanks sent over to Ukraine from Europe.

Ukrainian President Zelensky visits front-line troops

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited front-line troops in the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, his office said on Sunday, a week after a similar trip to the northeastern Kharkiv region.

"I want to thank you for your great work, for your service, for protecting all of us, our state," the statement quoted Zelenskiy as saying, adding that he held a minute of silence for fallen troops.

Continuing assault in Luhansk

Russian forces continue to storm Sievierodonetsk, controlling eastern part of the city, Serhiy Gaidai, governor of the Luhansk region where Sievierodonetsk is located, said on Sunday.

Gaidai said that there parts of the Azot chemical plant were damaged in Saturday's attacks.

Aid

Spain announced on Sunday that it would be sending anti-aircraft missiles and leopard battle tanks to Ukraine, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.

As well as the weapons and tanks, the Spanish Army will help train Ukrainian soldiers in how to use the equipment.

Russian threats

President Vladimir Putin warned the West that Russia would strike new targets if the United States started supplying Ukraine with longer-range missiles, the TASS news agency reported on Sunday.

"We will strike at those targets which we have not yet been hitting."

Russian President Vladimir Putin

If such missiles are supplied, "we will strike at those targets which we have not yet been hitting," Putin was quoted as saying in an interview Rossiya-1 state television channel.