Russian general who oversaw disastrous start of Ukraine invasion before being purged is found dead

The general led the invasion briefly as commander of the Southern Grouping of Forces before General Sergei "Armageddon" Surovikin took over in October.

He was sacked from his role as commander of Putin's "special military operation" in Ukraine in October 2022 after failing to secure the city of Kharkiv.

Before his leading role, Zhidko also served as the Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria in 2016, and in 2018 was appointed Commander of the Eastern Military District.

He received the highest honorary title - the Hero of Russia - for his service in 2017.

Following his dismissal, Zhidko had not been seen over recent months.

His death was confirmed by governor of Khabarovsk region Mikhail Degtyarev, but there was no official announcement.

The chief was said to have had one of the best military brains in Russia.

His death comes as Russia ramps up attacks on Ukraine's Black Sea port infrastructure and facilities Ukraine use to move grain through the Danube river.

The governor of the Odesa region confirmed attack drones had battered grain facilities at a river port near the Romanian border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticised strikes as "every Russian attack on them is a blow to world food prices, it is a blow to social and political stability in Africa and Asia".

A maritime threat has been issued by Russia after after scuppering a key deal last month brokered by the UN and Turkey.

Russian attacks in the last 24 hours killed four people and wounded seven, Donetsk's governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said Wednesday.

Ukrainian forces have also been fighting to push back Russian forces from the north and south of the war-torn town of Bakhmut.