The top brass toll from Vladimir Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine continues to rise, with the death of another colonel.
Colonel Ivan Grishin, commander of the 49th anti-aircraft missile brigade, died from abdominal shrapnel wounds. He was killed near Kharkiv.
The news comes amid reports from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine that 20,600 Russian servicemen have been killed in the war.
Colonel Ivan Grishin, Commander of the 49th anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Russian Army’s tactical air defence unit, is reported to have been killed in Ukraine
Just days ago, Russia lost its eighth general since the invasion of Ukraine in the latest blow to Vladimir Putin’s botched war.
Major General Vladimir Frolov, deputy commander of the 8th Guards Combined Arms unit, was given a military funeral in St Petersburg.
It’s not known how or where he died, but the timing of his funeral suggests Frolov was killed in the past few days.
His 8th Combined Arms Army was fighting in Kherson, near Crimea last month when commander Andrei Mordvichev was killed.
Referring to Grishin, Artem Malashchenkov, an MP from Smolensk, said: ‘Sleep well, dear friend, your death will not be in vain.’
‘The men will continue your work and fulfil all the tasks of the special military operation.’
The politician said: ‘I have no words for how hard it is to lose friends. Ivan was a real colonel – in the brigade his name was “Dad”.’
A father of two sons, he was ‘an honest, sympathetic and very strong-willed person, a real colonel, a good family man – even writing about it hurts, I can’t believe it’, according to a memorial.
Meanwhile, the youngest known soldier in the campaign, only identified from his DNA, has also died.
Roman Akimov, 18, from Krasnoyarsk region in Siberia, ‘died heroically while performing his military duty during the special operation to liberate Donbas,’ said his local district administration.
His grieving parents Evgenia and Ivan were handed his posthumous Order of Courage, awarded on the instructions of Putin.
His mutilated remains were only identified by DNA and it took three weeks before his parents were informed of his death.
Another casualty was Roman Akimov, 18, the youngest known Russian serviceman to die in the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine
Roman Akimov, 18, is from the Krasnoyarsk region in Siberia. On Monday he became the youngest serving member of the Russian army to die. It took three weeks for Akimov’s parents to be informed of his death as a DNA test had to be carried out in order to identify him
The boy’s parents Evgenia and Ivan were handed his posthumous Order of Courage, awarded on the instructions of Vladimir Putin, for his actions in Ukraine
‘The last time we called him was on 15 March,’ said his sister Natalia.
‘He said he was alive and well.
‘And then we lost contact.
‘Only on 10 April did we learn that Roman had died on 17 March.
‘This was confirmed after the DNA was taken.’
His bereft mother posted his picture and a poem saying: ‘I will never forget you, I swear, I promise.
‘I had no time to say so many words to you.
‘Forgive me for all the bad things.
‘I wish I could hug you tightly.
‘I wish I could say goodbye to you properly, looking into your eyes for the last time.
‘Knowing firmly that you are calm there and heaven keeps you in peace.’
Putin has now lost eight generals and at least 35 colonels – though the true numbers may be higher.
There have been claims that Ukraine is specially targeting the top brass to undermine morale in the Russian forces.
RUSSIA’S FALLEN GENERALS
General Magomed Tushaev: Chechen special forces leader who had led ‘anti-gay purges’ killed in an ambush near Hostomel on February 26
Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky: Deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District killed during a special operation by a sniper on March 4
General Magomed Tushaev (right) was blown up in the early stages of the war by Ukraine after they joined the Russian invasion
Major General Vitaly Gerasimov: First deputy commander of Russia’s 41st army who took part in operations in Syria and Crimea, killed in fighting around Kharkiv on March 8
Major General Andrei Kolesnikov: Commander of the 29th Combined Army Army killed on March 11
Major General Vitaly Gerasimov (left) was first deputy commander of Russia’s 41st army, taking part in operations in Syria and Crimea. He was killed in fighting around Kharkiv on March 8
Major-General Oleg Mityaev, died fighting near the city of Mariupol on 16 March
Lt-Gen Andrey Mordvichev, killed in the Kherson region on March 19
Lt Gen Yakov Rezantsev, commander of Russia’s 49th combined army, was killed in a strike near the southern city of Kherson on March 25
Lt Gen Yakov Rezantsev , commander of Russia’s 49th combined army. He was killed in a strike near the southern city of Kherson on March 25
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