Ukraine: Russian general reported killed in attack on Berdyansk hotel

A elder Russian wide has been killed successful a rocket onslaught successful Ukraine, Russian sources person said.

Lt Gen Oleg Tsokov is said to person died successful a onslaught connected a edifice lodging Russian subject commanders successful Berdyansk, connected Ukraine's occupied confederate coast.

Russia's defence ministry has not officially confirmed his death. But it was wide announced by Russian warfare channels connected the Telegram messaging app.

TV big Olga Skabeyeva said "absolutely each media" were reporting it.

Lt Gen Tsokov was lawman commandant of Russia's confederate subject district. Ms Skabeyeva who presents a speech amusement connected the state-run Rossiya-1 transmission said helium was killed by a UK-supplied Storm Shadow missile.

Andrei Gurulyov, an MP and retired wide who appeared connected her fashionable 60 Minutes amusement connected Tuesday, said the wide had returned to Ukraine contempt being severely wounded earlier successful the conflict.

He was deed past September portion commanding Russia's 144th Motorized Infantry Division successful the Svatove country of occupied eastbound Ukraine.

"Unfortunately, helium died heroically. This antheral deserves immense respect," the retired wide said.

Several Russian warfare accounts connected Telegram besides reported his death, including blogger WarGonzo and Military Informant, a transmission with much than fractional a cardinal followers.

In the lack of authoritative remark from Moscow, subject bloggers person antecedently proven an insightful root of accusation connected the Russian side.

The BBC has not independently verified the death, which was besides highlighted by Ukrainian officials.

Reports said helium was caught up successful a Ukrainian onslaught that destroyed a edifice accommodating Russian subject commanders successful Berdyansk, a metropolis successful the south-eastern portion of Zaporizhzhia connected the seashore of the Azov Sea.

Images and video from assorted parts of Berdyansk person circulated connected societal media, but nary amusement the nonstop tract of the blast.

BBC Verify has confirmed that 1 photograph shows a file of fume rising from the country wherever the Dune Hotel is located.

Russian section societal media chatter suggested the onslaught occurred 0400 section clip connected 11 July.

Some users said the edifice had been wholly levelled, affirming earlier comments from the Berdyansk metropolis subject administration, presently operating from Ukraine-controlled territory.

The Storm Shadow has a scope of implicit 150 miles (240km) - triple that of the missiles Kyiv had antecedently been using, making it overmuch easier to motorboat precision strikes.

Ukraine has claimed attacks connected Russia's subject commanders successful Berdyansk before, however, determination was initially immoderate uncertainty that Lt Gen Tsokov was there.

Russia's defence ministry had fixed nary authoritative announcement that helium had been promoted from his relation arsenic commandant of the 144th Motorised Infantry Division successful eastbound Ukraine, to lawman commandant of Russia's Southern Military District.

The subject territory has a acold larger remit, including areas of confederate Russia arsenic good arsenic occupied areas of Ukraine. The defence ministry has either been dilatory to item changes successful bid oregon it has simply avoided announcing them altogether.