The Russian Defense Ministry points out that the attack was possible thanks to the use of mobile phones by the soldiers
4 Jan. () –
The Russian Ministry of Defense has updated to 89 the balance of soldiers killed as a result of an attack by Ukrainian troops this Sunday against the town of Makivka, in the Donetsk region, increasing the previous casualty count by more than 20.
Lieutenant General Sergei Sevryukov, commander of the Russian forces in Ukraine, explained that the soldiers, among whom was the deputy commander, have been found “in the course of clearing debris from reinforced concrete structures.” according to statements collected by the Interfax agency.
Sevryukov explained that two missiles were intercepted by the air defense forces, but another four, “with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, hit the building”, causing the roofs of the infrastructure to collapse.
The commander has explained, according to the preliminary investigations, that “it is evident that the main reason for what happened has been the massive use by the personnel of mobile phones within reach of enemy weapons”, a measure that is not allowed by the Army. .
However, the senior Russian official has added that his troops have subsequently destroyed the Ukrainian installation from which the rockets were launched against Makivka, Donetsk, eliminating weapons and more than two hundred soldiers.
Ukraine attacked this location on New Year’s Eve, at 00:01 Moscow time on January 1, claiming it had “killed or wounded” hundreds of Russian soldiers.
Donetsk is, together with Lugansk, the epicenter of a conflict since 2014, which spread nationwide after the order of Russian President Vladimir Putin to launch a military offensive against Ukraine. Putin announced in September the annexation of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia, all of which were partially occupied as part of the invasion.
