Russia has lost its 11th general in the Ukraine war as Major General Roman Kutuzov was killed during the fight in the Donbas region on Sunday. He had commanded the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic 1st Army Corps.
Kutuzov's death was reported by Russian State television reporter Alexander Sladkov but he didn't elaborate on the exact cause of his death.
"On the one hand, the general had led soldiers into the attack, as if there are not enough colonels. On the other hand, Roman was a commander like everyone else, albeit with a higher rank," reported Sladkov, the Rossia state broadcaster's war correspondent, according to The Moscow Times.
Kutuzov Was 'Forced' To Lead The Assault
Ukrainian naval infantry officer Dmitry Ivanov claimed that Kutuzov, who was forced to lead the assault on the front line, had ordered his forces to storm a settlement in the Donetsk region.
Ivanov in his Facebook post noted that "on June 5, Kutuzov gave the 1st and 100th Brigades a suicide order to storm a settlement in the Donetsk region."
Ivanov underlined that it's not known for sure whether the troops were in no hurry to do so, or "whether they killed at all on the orders, but Romka was forced to lead the assault when he arrived at the front line."
Kutuzov Died in The Area of Nikolaevka Settlement
Kutuzov, who was chief of staff of the 29th Combined Arms Army, died in the area of Nikolaevka settlement when his vehicle was ambushed by Ukrainian forces, sources told Daily Mail.
Ukraine's Defense forces have also released a picture claiming to be Kutuzov but Russia has not made any official confirmation yet.
Kutuzov's death is the most high-ranking Russian officer's death in the war in the past month.
Russia confirmed that only three of its generals were killed in the war while Ukraine's Defense Staff claimed that reported at least 11 Russian generals have been killed since the beginning of the invasion.
A large number of Russia's senior military officials have also died in the war as reports claimed that nearly 317 Putin's military officers including majors, lieutenant colonels, and colonels have died in the war.
