Russia suffers heavy casualties in Chuhuiv as Ukrainian army liberates city in Kharkiv

Two prominent military commanders of the Russian Defense Forces were killed on Monday - a day of heavy casualties for Russians. Both the officials were killed by Ukrainian Army in a counterattack in Chuhuiv, Kharkiv Oblast. Their deaths were announced by the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine, who confirmed that Chuhuiv was now liberated.

"Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Safronov, Commander of the 61st Separate Marine Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces and Lieutenant Colonel Denis Glebov, Deputy Commander of the 11th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces both lost their lives," they said.

Ukraine lists Russian casualties 

Russia declares ceasefire

Russia has declared a ceasefire in the areas of Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv, and Sumy from 10 AM (Moscow time) on Monday to allow the evacuation of civilians, according to Sputnik. The move comes on French President Emmanuel Macron's request, added Sputnik. However, the ceasefire hasn't been followed and Russia continued to attack Kharkiv, Kyiv and Sumy.

Earlier on Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron dialled Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoke on 'preserving the integrity of Ukraine's civilian nuclear plants'. He added that demands like a ceasefire and the protection of civilians was also discussed. Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire twice to create safe corridors for civilians in Mariupol and Volnovakha to exit war-torn cities - but was abandoned after Russia began shelling again. Russia accused Ukraine of 'sabotaging the ceasefire'.

For weeks, Moscow massed over 150,000 troops on Ukraine's borders in a bid to pressurise Western nations to not allow Ukraine to join NATO, threatening an invasion. Last week, Putin ordered a special military operation in Ukraine's Donbas region, which quickly accelerated into precision airstrikes on Kyiv, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, deployed tanks towards Lviv from the Belarus-Ukraine border.

Russia has already taken over two Ukrainian nuclear power plants - Chernobyl &  Zaporizhzhya and is heading towards Yuzhnoukrainsk. Over 1 million Ukrainians have fled and many are housed in bomb shelters.

(Image: AP)