One of Putin’s top paratroop commanders killed on Ukraine frontline as Russia’s elite fighters face battlefield massacre

ONE of Putin’s top paratroop commanders has been killed on the Ukraine frontline while Russia’s elite fighters are facing a massacre on the battlefield. The death of Col Sergei Sukharev, of the 331st Guards Parachute Assault Regiment from Kostroma, was confirmed by state TV in Moscow. East2WestOne of Russia’s top paratrooper commanders, Sergei Sukharev has died[/caption] East2WestHis death was confirmed by state TV in Moscow[/caption] Earlier his “liquidation” had been claimed by Ukraine’s Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security. “Commander of the Kostroma Airborne Regiment, Colonel Sergei Sukharev…got lost in the ‘[military] exercises’, but returned home the right way,” said the Ukrainian statement. His deputy Major Sergei Krylov was killed alongside him, said the report. They were among a number slain from the “glorious” Kostroma regiment, seen as among Russia’s most elite fighting forces. READ MORE ON UKRAINE RESCUE Efforts to save children at Mariupol theatre hampered by ‘continuous shelling’ IN THE DARK Teacher's partner 'may not know he was shot dead by Putin's snipers,' pal says Russia acknowledged that senior sergeant Sergei Lebedev, sergeant Alexander Limonov and corporal Yuri Degtyaryov were also killed. Sukharev was seen on Russian TV in January when he led his troops back from Kazakhstan where they had been sent following a wave of protests. Russian described their mission as “peacekeeping” and Sukharev said his forces protected a vital power plant in Almaty. Killed, too, in the latest Ukrainian fighting was military intelligence officer Sergey Vishnyakov, of the GRU’s 22nd Separate Special Forces Brigade. He is believed to have been killed fighting near Mariupol in a Grad attack by Ukraine’s Azov battalion. Lieutenant Colonel Yuri Agarkov, from Volgograd, commander of a motorised rifle regiment, died during a special operation. Major Ruslan Petrukhin, deputy battalion commander of the 38th Motorised Rifle Brigade, was also reported killed in action in Ukraine. It comes after experts claimed Russian forces have faced a massacre on the battlefield, crushed by Ukrainian defenders. Even though the tyrant was expecting to seize Kyiv in 48 hours, Ukrainians have fought tirelessly to defend their country. Amid Russia’s botched battle for Hostomel Airfield about 30 miles outside the capital Kyiv, one of Putin’s top generals – Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky – was among paratroopers shot dead in a major blow to the Kremlin’s war plan to annihilate Ukraine. And Georgy Dudorov – the elite paratrooper son of one of Putin’s KBG pals – was “shot by artillery while performing a combat mission” amid reports from US intelligence that the Russian army has lost some 30,000 soldiers since the war began – including hundreds of paratroopers. Earlier this week GRU military intelligence spy Captain Alexey Glushchak, 31, died in Mariupol. The father-of-one was buried with full military honours and a guard of honour. Russia has failed to announce its estimated death toll in Ukraine for more than two weeks. Help those fleeing conflict with The Sun’s Ukraine Fund PICTURES of women and children fleeing the horror of Ukraine’s devastated towns and cities have moved Sun readers to tears. Many of you want to help the five million caught in the chaos — and now you can, by donating to The Sun’s Ukraine Fund. Give as little as £3 or as much as you can afford and every penny will be donated to the Red Cross on the ground helping women, children, the old, the infirm and the wounded. Donate here to help The Sun’s fund Or text to 70141 from UK mobiles £3 — text SUN£3£5 — text SUN£5£10 — text SUN£10 Texts cost your chosen donation amount (e.g. £5) +1 standard message (we receive 100%). For full T&Cs visit redcross.org.uk/mobile The Ukraine Crisis Appeal will support people in areas currently affected and those potentially affected in the future by the crisis. In the unlikely event that the British Red Cross raise more money than can be reasonably and efficiently spent, any surplus funds will be used to help them prepare for and respond to other humanitarian disasters anywhere in the world. For more information visit https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/disaster-fund