Major General Andrey Sukhovetsky, who was the deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army of Russia’s Central Military District, died yesterday as Ukrainian defence forces repelled the Russian offensive.

His death has not yet been officially confirmed by Russia’s Ministry of Defence, but was announced on social media by his colleague Sergey Chipilyov and was widely reported by several Russian and Ukrainian news outlets.

A military source confirmed that he was killed ‘by a sniper’, and suggested a funeral for the Major General – by far the most senior Russian figure to have died in the conflict thus far – will be held in Russia on Saturday.