Major General Mikhail Gudkov, deputy head of the Russian Navy who was praised and promoted by President Vladimir Putin, has been killed in action, depriving Moscow of one of its most senior officers,

Ukrainian media outlets had earlier reported the major general's death in a HIMARS strike, citing pro-Russian military bloggers. Now, Russia's Ministry of Defense and the Governor of Primorye Oleg Kozhemyako have confirmed the loss of Gudkov.

A view shows a scene of an explosion in which, according to Russia's investigative committee, Russian general Igor Kirillov, in charge of nuclear protection forces, and his assistant were killed, in Moscow,