Ukraine war: Putin ‘loses two of his most senior commanders in one day’

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Russian President Vladimir Putin lost two of his most senior commanders in a single day in a devastating bridge ambush in eastern Ukraine, a group of independent journalists working on both sides of the war have claimed.

Russia confirmed the death of Major-General Roman Kutuzov on Sunday, but new reports on Monday said Lieutenant-General Roman Berdnikov was killed on the same day in an attack carried out by Kyiv’s forces.

It has been suggested that the unusual speed with which Kutuzov’s death was confirmed by Moscow was an attempt to cover up the loss of Berdnikov, 47.

Less than a month ago, Berdnikov was commander of the Russian armed forces task force in Syria, and he was moved to take charge of Putin’s forces and those of the Donetsk People’s Republic [DPR] in Donbas.

If his death is confirmed he will be the 12th general to have been killed in the war.

Reports on Sunday said that Lieutenant-General Roman Berdnikov (pictured) was killed in Ukraine, the second Russian general to have been reported killed on the same day

Russia confirmed the death of Major-General Roman Kutuzov (pictured) on Sunday

It would mean the two of the most senior Russian commanders in Donetsk were wiped out in one strike in a stunning and embarrassing setback to Putin.

The claims that both Berdnikov and Kutuzov died came from the Volya Telegram channel which has independent war journalists working on both sides of the conflict.

‘On the morning of June 5, Lt-Gen Roman Berdnikov, who led the Russian troops and units of the DPR from Donetsk, left with the headquarters on a working trip,’ said the post. ‘On the way, presumably on a bridge, the vehicles of the headquarters were attacked by a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group.’

Part of the convoy was ‘destroyed or immobilised’ but some vehicles, ‘having received serious damage and firing back, were able to escape from the ambush and leave,’ the post said.

‘After that, our sources reported that Roman Berdnikov died in this battle,’ the report continued. ‘A little later, two more sources confirmed this, specifying that other senior officers could have died during the battle.’

Later reports emerged that Berdnikov second-in-command Kutuzov had died.

Volya stated that it trusted its sources that both generals were killed, Kutuzov by a bridge in Donetsk region, and not at the location in Luhansk Region specified in early Russian reports.

‘It is logical that they both rode in the same convoy and both were ambushed,’ said the report. ‘Part of the convoy was able to escape. We assume that Berdnikov was in one of the surviving cars, but died during the shelling.

‘Those who escaped from the fire could not know the fate of those who remained on the bridge. They reported the attack and death of Berdnikov to the headquarters and that part of the convoy remained cut off and was under fire.

‘It quickly became clear that Major General Kutuzov was among those remaining on the bridge. And as soon as the Russian military arrived at the battlefield, his body was also found.’

Berdnikov, a former Russian commander in Syria, was ‘killed in Donbas’ on June 5, according to Volya Telegram channel. Pictured: Roman Berdnikov at the Victory Day military parade at Khmeimim Air Base on May 9, 2022

The report stated: ‘What Russian commanders had in their hands [was] two dead generals, one of whom led an entire army grouping in Syria [until May], and then played an important role in commanding the entire grouping in eastern Ukraine.

‘The Russian Armed Forces had not yet lost two generals in a day in Ukraine.

‘It is clear that the Ukrainian ‘saboteurs’ will not be silent and will tell about the successful attack.

‘They do not know that they also managed to kill Berdnikov, because they saw the body of only Major General Kutuzov.’

The channel surmised that Russia ‘loudly and publicly’ announced the death of Kutuzov, in an attempt to mask the loss of ‘the much more famous and important Berdnikov’.

Bernikov, who previously served in Siberia, is seen on video less than a month ago taking the salute at the 9 May Victory Day parade at Russia’s Hmeimim airbase in Syria.

He was quoted as saying: ‘Soldiers and officers of the Russian Armed Forces have been honourably defending Russia’s interests in the fight against international terrorism in the Syrian Arab Republic and during the special military operation in Ukraine, worthily continuing the victorious traditions of frontline heroes.

‘We are worthy successors of battle-front veterans, the memories of whom were passed down through the generations.’

Russia has been losing generals at an alarming rate, with unconfirmed reports suggesting Western intelligence – particularly that of the United States – has been helping Ukraine target Putin’s most senior military figures in Ukraine.

Losing even two generals in a war would be considered extreme in most conflicts since the Second World War. If Berdnikov’s death is confirmed, Putin will have seen a dozen of his generals killed.

In addition, at least 49 colonels have been killed so far in the war with Ukraine.

Reports of the death of the two generals came after Russia struck Kyiv with missiles for the first time in more than a month on Sunday.

This photograph taken on June 5, 2022 shows smoke after several explosions hit the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early morning. Several explosions rocked the Darnytsky and Dniprovsky districts

Smoke rises after missile strikes, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, June 5

One person was reported hospitalised. Dark smoke could be seen from many miles away after the attack on two outlying districts.

Ukraine said the strike hit a rail car repair works, while Moscow said it had destroyed tanks sent by Eastern European countries to Ukraine.

Ukraine said Russia had carried out the Kyiv strike using long-range air-launched missiles fired from heavy bombers as far away as the Caspian Sea.

Russia says the strikes are part of a campaign to degrade Ukraine’s military infrastructure and block Western arms shipments.

President Vladimir Putin warned the United States on Sunday that Russia would strike new targets if the West supplied longer-range missiles to Ukraine for use in high-precision mobile rocket systems.

Britain said on Monday it would supply Ukraine with multiple-launch rocket systems that can strike targets up to 80 km (50 miles) away, a move that was coordinated with the United States in response to Russia’s invasion.

Meanwhile, heavy fighting continues in Sievierodonetsk and Russian forces are pushing towards Sloviansk, which lies about 53 miles to the west, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said on Monday.

Both sides say they have inflicted huge casualties in Sievierodonetsk.

In Lysychansk, Russian forces fired on a bakery and several administrative and residential buildings, Gaidai said on Monday, adding one civilian had been wounded.

Evacuations resumed from the Ukrainian-held part of Luhansk province on Sunday, and 98 people had escaped, Gaidai said.

The governor of Russia’s western Kursk region, Roman Starovoit, said the border village of Tyotkino had come under fire from Ukraine on Monday morning that targeted a bridge and some businesses.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Ukraine’s military reported that its forces repelled seven attacks in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions on Sunday, destroying four tanks and shooting down a combat helicopter. It was not immediately possible to verify the battlefield reports.

RUSSIA’S FALLEN GENERALS

General Magomed Tushaev: Chechen special forces leader who had led ‘anti-gay purges’ killed in an ambush near Hostomel on February 26

Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky: Deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District killed during a special operation by a sniper on March 4

General Magomed Tushaev (right) was blown up in the early stages of the war by Ukraine after they joined the Russian invasion

Major General Vitaly Gerasimov: First deputy commander of Russia’s 41st army who took part in operations in Syria and Crimea, killed in fighting around Kharkiv on March 8

Major General Andrei Kolesnikov: Commander of the 29th Combined Army Army killed on March 11

Major General Vitaly Gerasimov (left) was first deputy commander of Russia’s 41st army, taking part in operations in Syria and Crimea. He was killed in fighting around Kharkiv on March 8

Major General Oleg Mityaev, died fighting near the city of Mariupol on 16 March

Lt Gen Andrey Mordvichev, killed in the Kherson region on March 19

Lt Gen Yakov Rezantsev, commander of Russia’s 49th combined army, was killed in a strike near the southern city of Kherson on March 25

Major General Vladimir Frolov was deputy commander of the 8th Guards Army in east Ukraine. His grave in St Petersburg was pictured two weeks ago

Major General Anton Simonov, 55, was seen as the Russian military’s leading electronic warfare specialist. He died during an attack on a Russian army command past in northern Ukraine in early May.

Major General Kanamat Botashev, was enjoying retirement when Russian tanks rolled across the border on February 24 and had not flown since 2012. His Su-25 fighter jet was hit by a Stinger missile on May 22 in the Donbas skies, and he was unable to eject.