Putin’s losses mount as NINE commanders among ‘12,000 killed’ as Kremlin official calls invasion a ‘clusterf***’

NINE of Vladimir Putin’s military commanders have now been in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They are among the 12,000 Russian troops Ukraine now claims it has killed, as one Kremlin official has reportedly described the campaign to subdue its neighbour as a “clusterf***”. East2WestGeneral Andrei Sukhovetsky was killed by a sniper[/caption] Vitaly Gerasimov has become the latest senior Russian commander to be killed TwitterLieutenant Colonel Denis Glebov died in the battle for Chuhuiv[/caption] The latest senior commander to die is Major General Vitaly Gerasimov, who was killed in fighting outside Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv. Gerasimov was awarded a medal for “capturing” the disputed province of Crimea in 2014, and also received medals after leading troops in Syria and in the second Chechen war. Three top commanders have were killed in recent fighting in Ukraine, Russia’s armed forces have announced. Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Safronov, who led a Marine brigade, died along with Lieutenant Colonel Denis Glebov and Colonel Konstantin Zizevsky, who led air assault troops. Safronov and Glebov were killed when Ukrainian forces have recaptured the city of Chuhuiv while Zizevsky was killed at in the south of Ukraine. Their deaths come after those of other senior Russian commanders including two other generals. Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky was killed by a Ukrainian sniper during the fighting for Hostomel Airfield about 30 miles outside the capital Kyiv. And General Magomed Tushaev died when his  Chechen special forces column, including 56 tanks, was obliterated near Hostomel, north-east of the city, the Kyiv Independent reports. Most read in The Sun WHAT A BOOB Camilla Cabello accidentally flashes a boob live on The One Show 'i can't win' Vicky Pattison QUITS social media to escape 'toxicity' in emotional post TV LEGEND DEAD Open All Hours and EastEnders star Lynda Baron dies aged 82 SOAP SWAP EastEnders legend joins Hollyoaks as scheming new supervillain DRESSING DOWN Man Utd dressing room rift as bitter player brands team-mate 'teacher's pet' DOUBLE TAKE I’m a catfish and my glowup is so extreme people say it’s the best they’ve seen The Chechen soldiers are known as “hunters” and each of them was reportedly given a pack of cards with senior Ukrainian officials that Moscow wants dead. Also killed is warlord, Vladimir Zhonga who led the Sparta Battalion, a Neo-Nazi military unit that has the Kremlin’s backing. Read our Russia – Ukraine live blog for the very latest updates The group is behind a wave of deadly attacks against Ukrainian troops and has been waging war in the Donbass region since hostilities broke out eight years ago. Two other unnamed Russian senior commanders have also been killed in the fighting. Kremlin officials have allegedly made “apocalyptic” predictions about the conflict in Ukraine, describing the invasion on February 24 as a “mistake”. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed the ‘kill ever b*****d’ who was shooting and shelling Ukrainian civiliansZelenskyy is due to address British MPs today from his bunker as he remains defiant in KyivPeace talks continue after Russian issued three demands in an ultimatum – which were rejected by UkraineVladimir Putin has lost yet another general as his troops are reported to have been deserting from the invasion forcePictures show abandoned ‘Z’ tanks and burning Russian trucks as the Russia’s costly, grinding advance continuesCivilians are facing a perilous journey to escape Ukraine – including one boy, 11, who travelled 750 miles on his ownBrit ex-soldiers are heading to the frontline as they vow to help fight back against Russia They were “carefully enunciating the word clusterfuck” when describing the invasion, Business Insider reports. Ukrainian colonel Lieutenant General Serhiy Shaptala said his troops had seized Chuhuiv from Russian control, killing large numbers of Putin’s men. “In the course of hostilities, the city of Chuhuiv was liberated,” the General Staff said on Facebook. “The occupiers suffered heavy losses in personnel and equipment. Footage from the scene shows a “Z” marked military vehicle with the Ukrainian flag while chanting can be heard. In another clip, believed to have been filmed Chaplynka, Kakhovka Raion two men can be seen urinating on a Russian “Z” marked tank. Commander Konstantin Zizevsky has also died during recent fighting in Ukraine, according to reports. Chuhuiv, a small city of 30,000 people 22 miles southeast of Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv, was one of the first taken by the Russians. KADYROV_95General Magomed Tushaev[/caption] TwitterLieutenant Colonel Dmitry Safronov also lost his life the fighting for Chuhuiv[/caption] TwitterCommander Konstantin Zizevsky died in Ukraine[/caption] Not known, clear with picture deskVladimir Zhonga led the Sparta Battalion, a Neo-Nazi military unit that has the Kremlin’s backing.[/caption] TwitterAn abandoned Russian tank with the Ukrainian flag[/caption] A week ago, a young boy was killed in the city after heavy shelling struck an apartment block. The image of a woman with a heavily-bandaged and bleeding face following the shelling in Chuhuiv became one of the defining images of the conflict so far. As the slaughter continues Ukraine claims that Russia has lost 12,000 troops and more than 2,000 army vehicles – although US intelligence says the number of the dead is around 4,500. Regardless of the true figure, Putin is believed to have been deeply shocked by the ferocity of the heroic Ukrainians. In just a single day on Saturday, he reportedly lost nine aircraft. Russia has issued a list of three key demands on Ukraine to end the war. A Kremlin spokesman called for Ukraine to cease military action, change its constitution to become a neutral country, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory and recognise the separatist republics of Luhansk and Donetsk. Dmitry Peskov told Reuters that Russia had told Ukraine it was ready to halt its military action “in a moment” if Kyiv met its conditions. And he insisted Russia wasn’t seeking any further territorial claims in Ukraine. “We really are finishing the demilitarisation of Ukraine,” he said. “We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. “They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot. They should make amendments to their constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc. “We have also spoken about how they should recognise that Crimea is Russian territory and that they need to recognise that Donetsk and Lugansk are independent states. And that’s it. It will stop in a moment.” Last month, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Russia’s territorial claims in an address to his people ahead of the invasion on February 24. “Both Donbas and Crimea will return to Ukraine,” he said. “Exclusively through diplomacy. We do not encroach on what’s not ours, but we will not give up our land.” Mad Vlad’s army are said to have fired unguided rockets at the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology. Thousands of people are trapped in the besieged city, which has seen some of the heaviest bombings of the invasion so far. Throughout the city, snowy streets are paved with glass blown from windows and debris torn from smashed buildings by missiles. All you need to know about Russia's invasion of Ukraine Everything you need to know about Russia's invasion of Ukraine... Why is Russia invading Ukraine? Will the UK go to war? How can I join the Ukraine foreign legion? What can I do to help Ukraine? Who is Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy? How much gas does the UK get from Russia? Is Russia a part of Nato? Does Russia have nuclear weapons? Why is Ukraine not in Nato? How big is the Russian army? What is Article 5 of the Nato treaty? What is the Minsk agreement? Which countries were in the Soviet Union? What does the Z mean on Russian tanks? Meaning behind symbols explained Earlier yesterday, Russian forces were accused of firing at a facility with a nuclear reactor, sparking fears of a major radiation leak. Early this morning Russia’s Ministry of Defence claimed without evidence that Ukraine’s spy agency had mined the institute with explosives. It added Ukraine was planning a dangerous “provocation” and hoped to blame Russia for an explosion causing “an ecological catastrophe”. The alarming statement raised fears Vladimir Putin was himself planning such horror in order to justify his slaughter of innocents. Meanwhile, officials in Kyiv warned Russia had now amassed a big enough force to try to seize the capital. And around 30 Tochka-U tactical missile systems have been brought to Belarus from Russia ready for a feared all-out assault. Getty Images - GettyA woman injured in the shelling of Chuhuiv[/caption] AlamyThe city has seen heavy bombardment in the past two weeks[/caption] 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 £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