Putin's chief of staff Valery Gerasimov is 'wounded by shrapnel after being sent to Ukraine by the Russia president to secure victory', reports claim Valery Gerasimov, Russian army's chief of staff, was wounded in Izyum in Kharviv He had been sent to the region to take personal control of push to grab territory It has been at the centre of intense fighting since Russia's invasion in February Kharviv is also where Russia's ninth general, Andrei Simonov, 55, was killed By Will Stewart and Stephen Wynn-davies For Mailonline Published: 17:22 BST, 1 May 2022 | Updated: 17:24 BST, 1 May 2022 Viewcomments Vladimir Putin's top military commander has been flown out of the war zone with shrapnel wounds after being to sent to Ukraine by the Russian president to secure victory, a former Russian internal affairs minister has claimed. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of staff of the Russian army, was wounded in Izyum in Ukraine's Kharviv region, which has been at the centre of intense fighting since Russia's invasion. Putin had sent Gerasimov to the region to take personal control of his push to grab territory in Donbas and eastern Ukraine. Kharviv is also where Major General Andrei Simonov, 55, was killed, according to Alexey Arestovych, an adviser to president Volodmyr Zelensky. He is Russia's ninth general to have been killed since the start of the invasion. An unofficial Russian source reported that Gerasimov sustained 'a shrapnel wound in the upper third of the right leg without a bone fracture. 'The shard was removed - there is no danger to life,' he said. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of staff of the Russian army, was wounded in Izyum in Ukraine's Kharviv region, which has been at the centre of intense fighting since Russia's invasion Valery Gerasimov (L), Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, and Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu look on during a meeting with Russia's President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Ukrainian government official Anton Gerashchenko said the attack on Izyum was 'the very place where…Gerasimov, who personally came to lead the attack on Slavyansk, was located'. A 'large number' of senior officers were killed, he said. Pro-Ukr Telegram channel Vertikal said Gerasimov had been 'wounded near Izyum'. 'Our source reports that his legs and hips are damaged,' Vertikal said. It suggested that three of Gerasimov's entourage had been killed before he was evacuated. Agentstvo media outlet reported that Gerasimov was flown out of the war zone initially by an Mi-8 military helicopter to Belgorod in western Russia. Separately, videos showed a military site in Belgorod region on fire, caused by a suspected Ukrainian attack. Three Ka-52 attack helicopters circled as the Mi-8 transported Gerasimov and other top brass. Then in Belgorod he boarded a Defence Ministry Tu-154 plane which flew to an unknown destination. Major General Andrey Simonov (picture date unknown) was an electronic warfare commander Founder of independent Conflict Intelligence Team Ruslan Leviev said an eyewitness at the airport had seen Gerasimov board the plane unaided. 'The source confirms that it was Gerasimov who flew away,' he posted. 'But he went on board himself, alive and well.' His wounding by the Ukrainians would be another deep psychological blow to Putin and his faltering war campaign. Gerasimov is in charge of the Russian war campaign alongside defence minister Sergei Shoigu. Russia's other eight fallen generals General Magomed Tushaev: Chechen special forces leader who had led 'anti-gay purges' killed in an ambush near Hostomel on February 26 Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky: Deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District killed during a special operation by a sniper on March 4 General Magomed Tushaev (right) was blown up in the early stages of the war by Ukraine after they joined the Russian invasion Major General Vitaly Gerasimov: First deputy commander of Russia's 41st army who took part in operations in Syria and Crimea, killed in fighting around Kharkiv on March 8 Major General Andrei Kolesnikov: Commander of the 29th Combined Army Army killed on March 11 Major General Vitaly Gerasimov (left) was first deputy commander of Russia's 41st army, taking part in operations in Syria and Crimea. He was killed in fighting around Kharkiv on March 8 Major General Oleg Mityaev, died fighting near the city of Mariupol on 16 March Lt Gen Andrey Mordvichev, killed in the Kherson region on March 19 Lt Gen Yakov Rezantsev, commander of Russia's 49th combined army, was killed in a strike near the southern city of Kherson on March 25 Major General Vladimir Frolov was deputy commander of the 8th Guards Army in east Ukraine. His grave in St Petersburg was pictured two weeks ago Lt Gen Yakov Rezantsev, commander of Russia's 49th combined army. He was killed in a strike near the southern city of Kherson on March 25 The grave of Major General Vladimir Frolov in Serafimovskoe Cemetery, St Petersburg. The circumstances of his death remain unclear Advertisement Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility