Ukraine's Defense Forces have successfully struck the command post of Russia's 8th Guards Combined Arms Army for the second time this week, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Deputy head of the Russian Navy Major General Mikhail Gudkov, who had led a brigade fighting against Ukraine, was killed in a Ukrainian attack on Russia's southern Kursk region, the Russian Defence Ministry confirmed on Thursday.

The attack has significantly hampered Russia's ability to plan and conduct operations in the Pokrovsk and Toretsk areas of the front line, the General Staff's statement read.