Ukraine claimed today that its forces had shot dead the deputy commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in another significant blow to Vladimir Putin’s forces.

First rank captain Andrey Paliy, 51, is the only senior naval officer allegedly killed in the war in Ukraine, although Kyiv claims to have slain five army generals…

Paliy’s death appeared to be confirmed by a Russian friend, Konstantin Tsarenko, secretary of the public council of the Sevastopol Nakhimov Naval School, although it has not been officially acknowledged by Moscow.

One account said that he had been involved with Russian marines attacks near Mariupol.

However, the exact circumstances of his reported death are not known.