Ukraine has identified four Russian generals it says have been killed since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his invasion of Ukraine three weeks ago, and NATO officials have confirmed three of those deaths and Putin, one of them. "Western officials say that around 20 Russian generals were in Ukraine as part of the war effort, and that they may have pushed closer to the front to boost morale," which is sagging under the weight of heavy casualties, The New York Times reports.
The slain generals were identified as Maj. Gen. Andrei Kolesnikov, Maj. Gen. Vitaly Gerasimov, Maj. Gen. Andrei Sukhovetsky, and on Wednesday, Maj. Gen. Oleg Mityaev. Some of those commanders were reportedly killed in combat, but "two American military officials said that many Russian generals are talking on unsecured phones and radios," the Times reports, and "in at least one instance, they said, the Ukrainians intercepted a general's call, geolocated it, and attacked his location, killing him and his staff."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Women are getting their own baseball league againIn the Spotlight The league is on track to debut in 2026
-
Giant TVs are becoming the next big retail commodityUnder the Radar Some manufacturers are introducing TVs over 8 feet long
-
When will mortgage rates finally start coming down?The Explainer Much to potential homebuyers' chagrin, mortgage rates are still elevated
-
What happens if Russia declares war on Nato?Today's Big Question Fears are growing after Vladimir Putin's 'unusually specific warning' to Western governments
-
Are Ukraine's F-16 fighter jets too little too late?Today's Big Question US-made aircraft are 'significant improvement' on Soviet-era weaponry but long delay and lack of trained pilots could undo advantage against Russia
-
Ukraine's stolen childrenUnder the Radar Officially 20,000 children have been detained since Russia's invasion in 2022, but the true number is likely to be far higher
-
A brief timeline of Russia's war in UkraineIn Depth How the Kremlin's plan for a quick conquest turned into a quagmire
-
Why is Ukraine backing far-right militias in Russia?Today's Big Question The role of the fighters is a 'double-edged sword' for Kyiv, say commentators
-
What does victory now look like for Ukraine?Today's Big Question Not losing is as important as winning as the tide turns in Russia's favour again
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red SeaSpeed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
-
Russia's thorny convict-soldier problemUnder the Radar Putin's Ministry of Defense, like Wagner, is recruiting soldiers from Russian prisons to fight his Ukraine war. Russians aren't excited about them returning home.
