Russian navy commander killed in Mariupol fighting

Russian officials reportedly confirmed Sunday that a navy commander has been killed amid the fighting in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

In a statement through the online messaging service Telegram, the Russian-installed governor of the occupied city of Sevastopol confirmed Andrei Paly’s death, according to Radio Free Europe’s Russia service. 

Razvozhayev, 51, was the deputy commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.  

Razvozhayev’s death was also confirmed by Nakhimov naval college secretary Konstantin Tsarenko, via the Vkontakte social network, according to the BBC. 

Ukrainian officials have reported that five high-ranking officers within the Russian army have been killed since the country began its invasion of Ukraine last month, though only one has been confirmed by Moscow. 

An advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Russia army commander Lt. Gen. Andrei Mordvichev was killed in an airfield near the city of Kherson.

Western intelligence estimates place the number of Russian troops killed or injured at up to 1,000 a day, according to The Washington Post.

Russia has intensified attacks on civilian targets in the past week, while the U.S. has also warned of Moscow potentially using chemical weapons. 

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday said the use of more devastating weapons in Ukraine is a sign of Russian President Vladimir Putin attempting to “reestablish some momentum” amid reports that Moscow’s invasion has stalled.