Putin suffers ANOTHER huge loss as two of Russia's top commanders are killed by Ukrainian troops battling to take control of Bakhmut
- Two of Russia's top commanders were killed amid bitter fighting in Ukraine
Two of Russia's top commanders were killed today amid bitter fighting in the east of Ukraine.
The Russian Defence Ministry said Commander Vyacheslav Makarov of the 4th Motorized Rifle Brigade and Deputy Commander Yevgeny Brovko from a separate unit were killed trying to repel Ukrainian attacks.
The battle for Bakhmut has raged for a year as Ukrainian and Russian troops have even had to fight hand-to-hand with bayonets.
It said Makarov had been leading troops from the front line while Brovko 'died heroically, suffering multiple shrapnel wounds'.
The defence ministry rarely announces the deaths of military command in its daily briefings, since a string of senior officers were killed in the early months of the conflict.
The Russian Defence Ministry said Commander Vyacheslav Makarov (pictured) of the 4th Motorized Rifle Brigade was killed
The Russian Defence Ministry Deputy Commander Yevgeny Brovko (pictured) from a separate unit was killed trying to repel Ukrainian attacks
It came as an enormous fireball and mushroom cloud erupted over a Ukrainian city following an attack on an ammunition silo.
Russia had reportedly sent 21 drones as part of the offensive and while 17 were shot down, four found their target in the western city of Khmelnytskyi.
Vladimir Putin appears to be targeting missile storage centres Ukraine as he braces for a Kyiv counter-offensive.
Following the blast in Khmelnytskyi, officials said that of the 'nearly 30' injured miraculously only two had needed to go to hospital.
Educational and medical institutions, administrative buildings, industrial facilities, high-rise buildings and private residences were damaged during the attack.
A Russian pro-war source said: 'We are seeking to destroy the weapons and ammunition stockpiled by Ukraine from Nato countries.
'This is a big strike but we need more because we know Ukraine now has superior military firepower to us in many areas.'
An enormous fireball and mushroom cloud erupted over the western city of Khmelnytskyi following an attack on ammunition silo
Vladimir Putin appears to be targeting ammunition storages in west Ukraine as Kyiv's counter-offensive approaches
Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said: 'Unfortunately, not all drones were destroyed that night – 17 out of 21 UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles]. There were four hits in Khmelnytskyi region.'
Residents reported windows and roofs blown off houses.
There has been speculation that Ukraine might try to capture areas in Russia proper and use them as bargaining chips in possible peace negotiations to end the war.
But Volodymyr Zelensky said his country is preparing a counteroffensive designed simply to liberate areas occupied by Russia, not to attack Russian territory.
It came after Putin launched an attack on warehouses in the city of Ternopil on Saturday, minutes before electronic music duo Tvorchi – who are from that area – performed at the Eurovision song contest.
Two people were injured in the attacks, officials confirmed. Tvorchi held up a sign showing the name of their hometown during their performance in Liverpool.
