The 51-year-old was head of a military unit that trained Shahed drone operatives, which have been used to deadly effect against Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Wednesday that Russia could use nuclear weapons if it was struck with conventional missiles, and that Moscow would consider any assault on it supported by a nuclear power to be a joint attack.

The Kremlin says that changes in Russia’s nuclear doctrine are intended to discourage Ukraine’s Western allies from supporting attacks on Russia