Vladimir Frolov, a high-ranking officer of the Russian armed forces, was killed in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The circumstances of Frolov’s death were not immediately clear.

Alexander Beglov, the Governor of St. Petersburg, confirmed that Frolov died in battle in Ukraine and his remains have been brought back. The funeral was held at the Serafimovskoe Cemetery on Saturday.

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While very little is known about the Russian officer, the Governor revealed that Frolov was the deputy commander of the 8th Guards Army in east Ukraine. He held the rank of a General in the Russian armed forces.

Russian news agency TASS reported that Frolov was deployed to the violence-hit Donbas region of Ukraine, where Moscow-backed separatist groups have clashed with Kyiv’s forces since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

St. Petersburg Governor Beglov released a statement to hounour General Frolov. He said, “Vladimir Petrovich Frolov died a heroic death in battle with Ukrainian nationalists. He sacrificed his life so that children, women and old people in the Donbas would no longer hear the explosions of bombs.”

“So that they stop waiting for death and, leaving home, say goodbye as if it were for the last time,” the Governor added, according to reports from Russian state media.

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New York Times reported that Russia has had a history of pushing experienced and high-ranking military officials to the frontlines in times of war. So far at least seven such Generals have died since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started on February 24, 2022.

An unnamed official at the Pentagon said that the Russians are “not very good at delegating”, which is why “it is not surprising to us to see that there are [Russian] generals on the battlefield”, Forbes reported.