On Sunday, the Russian Defence Ministry confirmed that two of its military commanders were killed in eastern Ukraine. According to news agency AFP, the announcement was made by the ministry, which did not provide further details about the incident.
The incident reportedly occurred near Bakhmut, which is located in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. This area has seen ongoing conflict between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces since 2014.
The announcement of the deaths of the Russian military commanders comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine. In recent months, there has been a buildup of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border, sparking concerns about a potential invasion.
The Ukrainian government has accused Russia of supporting the separatist rebels in the eastern part of the country, a charge that Russia has denied. However, the presence of Russian military commanders in eastern Ukraine indicates a deeper level of involvement in the conflict by the Russian military.
The deaths of the two commanders have not been independently verified and it is unclear how they were killed. The Russian Defence Ministry has not released any further information about the incident.
The conflict in eastern Ukraine has led to the deaths of more than 13,000 people since 2014. Despite several ceasefire agreements, the fighting has continued, with occasional spikes in violence.
The international community has called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, with many countries providing diplomatic support and economic assistance to Ukraine. However, the situation remains tense, and the deaths of the two Russian military commanders may further complicate efforts to end the conflict.