What is known about the Ukraine strike that killed at least 89 Russian soldiers
FOCUS – Ukraine admitted that it was the author of the attack near Donetsk and based on the “400 dead” part. Moscow accuses Kiev of using the US-supplied Himars rocket launcher.
The attack on Russian forces on January 2 can be considered a record since the beginning of the war in Ukraine due to its bloody nature. Russia first admitted that 63 soldiers were killed, and then 89 soldiers were killed in an enemy strike near the annexed territory of Donetsk in the east of the country on Tuesday evening.
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These are the heaviest casualties in an attack that Moscow has acknowledged since the start of the invasion. Before Ukrainian forces initially noted that 400 soldiers had been killed, the balance sheet said “losseshuman rights were established.
Excellent communication from Moscow
Russia has so far rarely assessed its offensive or specifically reported casualties. Therefore, it is rare for the Russian Ministry of Defense to admit in this press release on Monday morning that 63 of its soldiers were killed in the explosion.four rockets“.
According to the spokesman of the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Konashenkov, these missiles were shot down.temporary accommodation centerMilitary forces of the Russian army in the town of Makiivka, which has been under the control of Russian separatists near Donetsk since 2014.
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According to Ukraine, which confirmed that the strike was carried out, there were hundreds of dead
In a statement released on Monday evening, the General Staff of Ukraine confirmed that the strike was carried out on New Year’s Eve. “Personnel losses for residents are specified“, – noted the Ukrainian staff.”Up to 10 different military equipment of the enemy was destroyed and damagedGeneral Staff said.
Yesterday, the strategic communications department of the armed forces of Ukraine said that about 400 Russian soldiers were killed in Makiivka. The headquarters, without denying or confirming this figure, stated that the balance sheet “losseshuman rights were established.
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Sources say that Russian soldiers have betrayed their phones
Russia’s TASS news agency, citing a source in the Donetsk regional forces, said that the servicemen had betrayed the activity of their mobile phones.
The Ukrainians, who discovered that a large number of devices were connected through a local cell phone tower, reportedly confirmed that soldiers had gathered at the scene. “The enemy detected the activity of mobile communication and the location of users using the “Echelon” intelligence complex.“The source said.
Supposed kick by Himars
The Russian Ministry of Defense has accused Ukraine of using Himars missiles, a weapon provided by the United States to Ukrainian forces. Several journalists have shared a video on the Internet, which we recognize by the power of the shot that illuminates the night, but also by the Christmas wreaths that decorate it, reminiscent of the famous missile launcher that Washington presented to Kiev.
Mobile as it is mounted on a truck, it is capable of accurately targeting targets up to 80 kilometers away.
The Russian military command is under fire from critics
Increasingly influential Russian war correspondents themselves claimed that hundreds of people had died in the attack. The announcement of these heavy losses immediately drew criticism from the Russian side, with the military high command in Moscow accused of failing to learn from past mistakes.
Former separatist leader Igor Girkin, better known by the pseudonym Strelkov, who is very familiar with the situation in the area, accused the officials in particular of storing ammunition in this undefended building. “Ten months after the start of the war, it is dangerous and criminal to think of the enemy as a blind fool.Andrey Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Moscow City Legislative Assembly, said this. The anger also spread to Alexei Sukonkin, an influential blogger in the separatist region. “I cannot blame Ukraine. The real killer is the son of a bitch who makes our fighters easy targets“, he said on the Telegram channel.
Some on social media also accused the Russian authorities of understating the death toll. “God, who would believe the number 63? The building is completely destroyedA Russian named Nina Vernykh wrote on VKontakte, Russia’s main social network.
In this social network, Russians were invited to collect clothes, medicine and materials for the survivors. The governor of Russia’s Samara region, Dmitry Azarov, announced the opening of a telephone line for relatives of fallen soldiers, including his constituents.
Revenge of Kiev?
The announcement of the holiday follows the New Year, marked by Russian bombings of Kyiv and other cities on Saturday, Sunday and Monday that killed five people and injured dozens.
On Monday, Kyiv again came under fire from Iranian-made drones, but Ukrainian forces said most had been shot down. In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, regional governor Oleg Sinogubov said that the city and its region were again targeted by Russian missiles.
In a speech on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his military had shot down more than 80 drones since the beginning of 2023.This number may increase in the near future“he said.
SEE ALSO – The Russian military says that the strikes in Ukraine before the New Year targeted drone factories
