Ukraine says Russian general killed in the war

The Ukraine defense ministry reported that another Russian general has been killed in the war. 

“Yakov Rezantsev is the second Russian lieutenant general to die in the war against Ukraine,” the ministry tweeted Friday. “This is becoming a typical track-record of Russian generals. #DeadRussianGenerals.”

Lt. Gen Yakov Rezantsev is said to have been killed during a Ukrainian strike on the Chornobaivka airbase near Kherson, Ukraine, BBC reported.

The airbase has been used as a command post for Russia as their advance on Ukraine has been stalled by Ukrainian resistance. 

A Western official said that Rezantsev, who commanded Russia’s 49th combined army, is the seventh general who has died during the fighting.

Morale has been low among Russian forces, prompting generals to get more directly involved in the battles, according to the BBC.

The news comes after Russian Col. Yuri Medvedev was run over by his own men with a tank this week. The 37th Motor Rifle Brigade reportedly turned on him after many men died during an attack. 

Medvedev’s legs were injured and he was taken to a hospital where a Western official said he died, according to the British outlet.

The official said he died ​​”as a consequence of the scale of the losses taken by his own brigade.”

NATO estimates around 40,000 Russians have been killed since the beginning of the invasion. 

The Ukrainian military has been relatively successful in fending off major Russian military gains.

Ukrainian forces have held the capital city of Kyiv, and U.S. officials reported on Friday that the former Soviet state’s military had partially taken back the city of Kherson, which was first captured by the Kremlin at the beginning of the war. 

Updated 9:12 a.m.