Ukraine says conflict kills fifth Russian general

Army command in Kyiv claims Lt Gen Andrei Mordvichev is latest high-ranking fatality

Ukrainian soldiers search for injured people as Ukraine announces death of a fifth Russian general. (Photo by BULENT KILIC / AFP)

Russia has lost a fifth general in battle in three weeks, Ukraine's military has claimed.

Lt Gen Andrei Mordvichev was the commander of the 8th General Army of the Southern Military District.

He is believed to be the highest ranking officer to be killed in the conflict.

His death was announced by the Ukrainian Army's high command in Kyiv on Saturday. Russia has not confirmed the report.

“As a result of fire on the enemy by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the commander of the 8th All-Military Army of the Southern Military District of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Lt Gen Andrey Mordvichev, was killed,” the army general staff in Kyiv said in a statement.

It is believed Mordvichev was killed in the village of Chornobaivka, in the Kherson Region.

A Russian paratroop commander was killed in Ukraine on Friday.

Col Sergei Sukharev of the 331st Guards Parachute Assault Regiment was “liquidated”, Ukraine's Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security said.

Several members of the regiment, a unit considered to be among Russia’s elite, were killed in the same operation.

His deputy, Maj Sergei Krylov, was a fatality, the Ukrainian report said.

Russia said that three others, including a senior sergeant and a corporal, were among the dead.