The Russian government blames its soldiers, who were killed by Ukrainian shelling in a barracks in Makiivka, for the attack. The Defense Department announced on Wednesday that it was already clear that the main reason for the incident was the illegal, massive use of mobile phones by soldiers within range of enemy weapons. The ministry now speaks of at least 89 deaths.
“This circumstance enabled the enemy to track down the coordinates of the soldiers’ location and use them for a missile attack.” Russia has seldom admitted major losses since the invasion of Ukraine. According to Ukrainian sources, hundreds of Russian soldiers were killed in the attack.
Shelter hit with four missiles
According to Russian sources, Ukraine fired on the property near the eastern Ukraine town of Makiivka on New Year’s Eve, hitting it with four rockets. These were rooms in which Russian recruits were housed. Russian military bloggers criticized on Tuesday that the soldiers were stationed in an unprotected building next to an ammunition depot and within range of Ukrainian missiles.
Semyon Pegov, a prominent Russian war correspondent who received the Order of Bravery from Russian President Vladimir Putin in late 2022, also questioned the defense ministry’s argument about the cellphone on Wednesday. Ukraine could also have located the soldiers using drones and intelligence services, not necessarily mobile phones, he wrote on Telegram.
Criticism of military commander
“The story of the mobile phone is not very convincing. (…) I rarely say this, but in this case it would probably be better to remain silent, at least until the investigation is completed. So it looks like an attempt to wipe out the allegations.” Most of the criticism on the internet is aimed at the military commanders and not at President Putin. He has not publicly commented on the attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also so far said nothing about the attack.
Pegov also wrote that the number of victims of the Ukrainian attack on the shelter will increase. The numbers mentioned so far probably refer to those soldiers who could be immediately identified. “Unfortunately, the list of missing persons is much longer.” Some pro-Russian officials in the region had put the final number at several hundred.
How many Russians have died in Ukraine so far?
It is not publicly known how many soldiers have died since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The US military said in November that there were likely more than 100,000 dead or wounded on both sides.
Zelenskyy: “The terrorists must lose”
Ukrainian President Zelensky repeated earlier statements on Wednesday that he expects extensive mobilization of soldiers on the Russian side and a major Russian offensive. “We have no doubt that the present masters of Russia will use whatever they have left and anyone they can muster to turn the tide and at least delay defeat,” he said. This scenario must be thwarted. “We are preparing for that. The terrorists must lose. Any attempt at their new offensive must fail.”
After new Russian missile strikes, Zelenskyy called on the West to strengthen his country’s defense capabilities. After telephone conversations with the heads of government of the Netherlands, Great Britain, Norway and Canada, he called for every effort to defeat Russia.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
