The commander of Russia’s 8th Army has been killed in a Storm Shadow missile attack in Donetsk. Reports are also emerging that the deputy commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has also been eliminated, although this has yet to be officially confirmed.
Kyiv’s army launched a massive drone and missile attack across Russia and the occupied parts of Ukraine on Monday. As part of the bombardment, Storm Shadow missiles were fired towards Donetsk, Crimea and the Rostov region in Russia.
Missiles hit the headquarters of Russia’s 8th Combined Arms Army in Donetsk city, causing significant damage.
The army HQ was located in the building of the Donetsk Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals, located near a shopping centre.
Video images posted to social media show the building engulfed by a raging inferno, as firefighters desperately try to douse the flames.
Damage to nearby buildings and cars can also be seen in the dramatic images that have been widely shared.
Reports following the attack suggested that “dozens” of Russian officers had perished in the deadly strike.
Now it has been confirmed that the 8th Army’s commander, Colonel Ruslan Goryachkin, died in the missile strike.
The senior officer was born and raised in Sukhumi, Abkhazia – a breakaway republic that was formerly part of Georgia.
His death was first reported by the Ukrainian soldier and blogger Anatolii Shtefan (Shtirlitz).
Later public forums in Abkhazia acknowledged the commander had died while “performing his duty” in a combat zone.
Meanwhile, a number of Russian military bloggers are claiming that Vice Admiral Ildar Akhmerov was killed by Ukrainian special forces in Crimea.
Akhmerov had been serving as the First Deputy Commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet since November of last year.
One Russian Z-blogger wrote: “This is war. In Crimea as a result of a sneaky blow by Ukraine’s GUR MO, Vice Admiral and officer of the Black Sea Fleet Ildar Akhmerov was killed.
“We are obliged to avenge his death. We await a response from the decision-making centres.”