- A Russian general has been killed in the fighting in Ukraine.
- He is the most senior Russian military official to be killed in the conflict in Ukraine so far.
- Russia says nearly 500 soldiers have died in the fighting in Ukraine, but US officials say Russia's casualty figures should be viewed with skepticism.
A Russian general was killed in fighting in Ukraine earlier this week, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Maj. Gen. Andrei Sukhovetsky, 47, was the commanding general of Russia's 7th Airborne Division and deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army. His death was confirmed Thursday by a local officers' organization in southern Russia, but the circumstances of his death remain unclear, according to the AP.
Sukhovetsky is the most senior Russian military official to have died in the conflict in Ukraine thus far.
Russia's Communist Party-controlled newspaper Pravda said Sukhovetsky started as a platoon commander before rising to through the ranks in a series of leadership positions. He was reportedly decorated for his roles in Russia's military campaign in Syria and the annexation of Crimea, according to The Independent.
Russia says nearly 500 soldiers have died in fighting in Ukraine while Ukrainian officials claim the number is closer to 6,000.
A senior US defense official told reporters Wednesday that people should be "extremely skeptical" of Russia's casualty figures.