Russian Commander's Death and Ongoing Ukraine Battles

A significant blow has been dealt to the Russian military with the death of Major General Alexander Kornev, commander of an elite guards airborne division. The circumstances surrounding his death remain undisclosed. Kornev led the 7th Airborne Division, a unit specializing in mountain and jungle warfare.

The 7th Airborne Division has been actively involved in the conflict in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Both Ukrainian authorities and international human rights organizations have accused the division of committing war crimes in the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions. Allegations include the shooting, kidnapping, and torture of civilians by soldiers from the unit during their deployments in southern Ukraine.

The announcement of Major General Kornev's death was made on July 20th on the official page of the Ryazan Airborne Forces School. The statement expressed mourning and acknowledged his leadership of the 7th Airborne Division. While the official cause of death is unspecified, some reports suggest a heart attack. Unconfirmed reports also speculate about possible poisoning, with suspicion directed towards Ukrainian intelligence services.

Simultaneously, Russian forces are engaged in intense fighting for the village of Kondratovka, resulting in significant casualties for the 30th and 40th brigades. Captain Florid Israfilov, a Russian commander, was killed when his position was struck by a Baba Yaga drone during the heavy combat.