Russia had admitted the deaths of two senior soldiers in Ukraine - but still refuses to call their illegal invasion a war, continuing to peddle propaganda to their citizens.
The Putin regime has admitted the deaths of Major Alexei Vorsyuchenko and Sergeant Pavel Bogatyrev from the VDV's 76th Air Assault Division.
It follows Putin's confirmation of the death of Major-General Andrey Sukhovetsky, a top paratrooper in Vladimir Putin's invading forces, who is alleged to have been killed by a sniper during a 'special operation' in Ukraine.
Sukhovetsky was the first Russian general to die, with Putin confirming his death in a speech eight days into the invasion.
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Christo Grozev, executive director of investigative journalism outlet Bellingcat, said that confirmation of his death would be a “major demotivator” for Russian troops.
Despite the number of Russian commander's lost - Putin's regime maintains that Russian military action in Ukraine does not amount to war.
State media continues to use the language 'special military operation'. There has been a nationwide crackdown on independent news.
The Russian President has overseen the constant shelling of the neighbouring country, in which both military and civilian structures have been targeted, and thousands killed.
Putin, whose aggressive propaganda campaign back home has attempted to persuade his people that invading troops are simply undertaking special drills.
Speaking on a call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz last week, he dismissed reports of Moscow-led attacks on apartment buildings, schools and hospitals as "fake".
The Kremlin said after the call that "alleged ongoing air strikes of Kyiv and other large cities are gross propaganda fakes".
It comes as Ukraine's Ministry of Defence claimed 150 Russian troops were killed after trying to take control of the southern port city.
Authorities yesterday said they had repelled an attack by Russian forces.
Yesterday, Ukraine's MoD said two Russian tanks were also destroyed during the fighting, and that some members of the Russian Armed Forces are refusing to follow orders.
Ukraine’s Armed Forces estimated that approximately 12, 000 Russian troops have been killed, a staggering 303 tanks, 48 warplanes, 80 helicopters and over 1,000 armoured personnel carriers.
It comes as the head of Russia ’s National Guard has said that Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine is not going as quickly as the Kremlin had wanted, in the strongest public acknowledgement yet that the invasion is not going to plan.
