“lt Russian Army Commander in Battle”, Ukraine says

According to a statement by the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, Vitaly Gerasimov was a major general, chief of staff and first deputy commander of Russia's Military District 41st Army, writes BBC, broadcast Klankosova.tv.

A number of senior Russian military officers were killed and also injured, they reportedly.

Ukrainian intelligence says Gerasimov participated in the second Chechen war and Russian military operation in Syria. He took a “medal for the return of the Crime”.

Ukrainian officials posted on Twitter a photo of someone they said was Gerasimov, with the word “liquidated” in red letters at the bottom.