Putin’s top nuke sub commander shot dead during peacekeeping mission

Vladimir Putin’s top nuclear submarine force commander has been killed after his vehicle was bombarded by heavy machine gun fire .‌ Captain 1st Rank Ivan Kovgan, 52, was killed in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh where he was seconded as deputy commander of a peacekeeping contingent. In a crushing blow for Putin, Azerbaijan has now regained control of its breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in a deadly two-day military offensive. Azerbaijan’s move to reclaim control over Nagorno-Karabakh raised concerns that a full-scale war in the region could resume. The 2020 war killed over 6,700 people.‌ Putin commander dead: Captain Ivan Kovgan died after the Azerbaijani army opened fire on a vehicle (Image: East2West ) Kovgan was deputy commander of Russia ‘s Northern Fleet submarine force based in the Arctic and died alongside Colonel Tagir-Murod Karaev, from Russia ‘s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defence Forces. Four other Russian servicemen also died when their UAZ Patriot vehicle was sprayed with bullets by the Azerbaijani army. A source said: “Their vehicle came under fire. Everyone was killed.” Those responsible for the shooting of the submarine commander and other peacekeepers have been detained, and are expected to face criminal action. Shock attack: Four other Russian servicemen were also killed when the UAZ Patriot vehicle was hit (Image: East2West ) Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev apologised to Putin for the shock killings of Kovgan and the other peacekeepers – and promised to compensate their families. “In order to investigate all the causes, the investigative authorities of Azerbaijan and Russia are working on the spot,” the defence ministry in Baku said. It called for “patience” during the probe. The brutal slayings came as Azerbaijan launched a military operation to gain control over Nagorno-Karabakh – a mainly Armenia province. Pictured: A damaged residential apartment building following shelling in Nagorno-Karabakh (Image: AP) Azerbaijan claimed full control of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region on Wednesday after local Armenian forces there agreed to lay down their weapons following the latest outbreak of fighting in the decades-long separatist conflict. Authorities in the ethnic Armenian region that has run its affairs without international recognition since fighting broke out in the early 1990s declared around midday that local self-defense forces will disarm and disband under a Russia -mediated cease-fire. They also said representatives of the region will start talks Thursday with the Baku government on Nagorno-Karabakh’s ‘reintegration’ into Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev trumpeted victory in a televised address to the nation, saying that ‘in just one day, Azerbaijan fulfilled all the tasks set as part of local anti-terrorist measures’ and ‘restored its sovereignty”. We’ll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story. For the latest news and breaking news visit: News – Latest UK & World News Stories – Express.co.uk Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/ExpressUSNews and @expressusnews