Russia has lost up to 40 per cent of the units it sent into Ukraine when Moscow invaded its neighbour in February, the Ukrainian military’s general staff said on Wednesday. The troops were either completely destroyed or have lost their combat capabilities, according to the daily bulletin, which did not give concrete numbers. The information could not be verified independently. Ukraine also said that a fourth Russian general had been killed in the fighting. Major General Oleg Mityaev died Tuesday during the storming of Mariupol, said Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko, who published a photo on Telegram of what he said was the dead officer. A #Russian major general was slain. The General, Oleg Mityaev, was the Commander of the 150th motorized rifle division, #Ukrainian media reports. pic.twitter.com/XKwpfxo41I — NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 15, 2022 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported the death of another Russian general in his nighttime address but didn’t name him. Mityaev, 46, commanded the 150th motorised rifle division and had fought in Syria, Gerashchenko said. There was no confirmation of the death from Russia. Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed Russian forces have destroyed 111 Ukrainian aircraft, 160 drones and more than 1,000 tanks or other military vehicles since the start of what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine. The area surrounding embattled Mariupol continued to face the most serious situation. The Russian army was attempting a blockade of the city from the western and eastern fringes of the port city, but was suffering “significant losses”, according to the Ukrainian military’s bulletin. Ukrainian authorities said some 20,000 people from Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov, managed to get to safety on Tuesday. Almost 30,000 civilians nationwide were able to leave threatened areas on Tuesday, but a column with relief supplies for Mariupol is still being blocked by Russian soldiers, Zelensky said. In the Odesa region, Russian ships were shelling the Ukrainian coast, but there was no attempt to land, Interior Ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko said. Russian TV journalist who protested against Ukraine war released after outcry Ukrainian and Russian representatives were set to resume their negotiations on Wednesday. Zelensky said demands are starting to get more realistic, while warning it would still take a while before Ukraine can be satisfied with talks. Meanwhile the prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia assured Zelensky of their solidarity and support during a visit to Kyiv. They travelled to Kyiv by train in a gesture of support for Ukraine. dpa and Associated Press
