A retired Russian commander who led airstrikes on the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol has died in an explosion in southern Russia. Zaur Gurtsiev, 34, was a veteran of Russia’s assault on Mariupol and Avdiivka, receiving several medals for his role. Authorities say they do not know what caused the blast, but are considering the possibility that Ukraine may have been involved.
Gurtsiev led Moscow’s air assault on Mariupol in 2022, which resulted in thousands of deaths. The siege included a deadly airstrike on a theatre where civilians were hiding. Ukrainian security forces have previously claimed to have killed a Russian general in a special operation, but this claim has not been independently verified.
The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of fighting neo-Nazis and has launched its full-scale military offensive on the country since February 2022. Russia’s Investigative Committee has reported several high-profile deaths of Russian servicemen, including the head of the biological and chemical weapons unit and a senior general.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/explosion-kills-russian-veteran-zaur-gurtsiev-airstrikes-ukraine