Russian Major-General killed in Ukrainian missile strike, says official

In a significant development, a high-ranking Russian officer has reportedly been killed during a Ukrainian missile strike, as Kyiv continues its counteroffensive against Russian forces. According to Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-backed official in Ukraine, Major-General Sergei Goryachev, Chief of Staff of Russia’s 35th Army, was killed in the southern Zaporizhia region on the frontlines where Ukrainian forces have been regaining control.

The Russian Defence Ministry has not yet confirmed the news of Goryachev’s death. The 52-year-old Major-General had a distinguished career, having fought in the Second Chechen War, commanded a tank brigade, overseen a Russian military base in Tajikistan, and led Russian forces in Moldova’s pro-Russian region of Transdniestria.

The death of Goryachev, as reported by Russian war correspondent and military blogger “Voenkor Z,” would mark the first Russian senior officer killed in Ukraine in almost a year. Rogov expressed his condolences on his official Telegram channel, stating: “The army has lost one of its brightest and most effective military commanders, who combined the highest professionalism with personal courage. Deepest and most sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased!”

In related news, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with 18 prominent Russian military bloggers and war correspondents in an effort to reinforce his narrative of the war’s positive progress in Ukraine. This meeting occurred amidst growing discontent in the Russian information space, following drone attacks on Russian territory and border incursions by pro-Ukrainian but Russian armed groups.

The Washington, DC-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that Russian “milbloggers” who have been more critical of Putin’s war efforts were not invited to the discussion. The ISW believes that “Putin is likely setting information conditions to prevent potential lines of attack against the Kremlin in the event of Russian failure” in Ukraine. Furthermore, the ISW suggests that Putin’s engagement with these military bloggers indicates that the Kremlin may increasingly rely on the ultranationalist community to maintain support for the war effort.

The ISW also acknowledged the Russian reports of Major-General Goryachev’s death in the Zaporizhia region, stating that his reported death implies that “some Russian senior military commander officials continue to operate close to the front line and remain exposed to accurate Ukrainian strikes.”