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

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

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

Ukraine lists Russian casualties 

Russia declares ceasefire

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

Earlier on Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron dialled Russian President Vlimir Putin and spoke on 'preserving integrity of Ukraine's civilian nuclear plants'. He ded that demands like a ceasefire and protection of civilians was also discussed. Russia and Ukraine h 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 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 Belarus-Ukraine border.

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

(Image: AP)