Russia has reportedly lost its fortieth high-ranking military officer since the start of the war in Ukraine. Lieutenant Colonel Denis Mezhuev was killed on the frontline, local reports said. Mezhuev commanded the Sevastopol Red Banner regiment under the 1st guards motor rifle division, which moved from Kyiv to the battle-scarred east in recent days. -snip- Ukraine says Russia has now lost a total of seven generals and 33 colonels The scale of the high ranking death toll defies Vladimir Putin’s claim that his “special military operation” is going according to plan.