Published: Just now
Russia says 89 Russian soldiers died in the Ukrainian attack on a base in the Russian-occupied town of Makijivka in Donetsk on New Year’s Eve. Its position was revealed by the soldiers’ cell phones.
More bodies have been found under the rubble, Russian Lieutenant General Sergei Sevryukov said in a video statement.
Ukraine claims as many as 400 Russian soldiers were killed.
The death tolls are next to impossible for outsiders to verify. Both sides exaggerate successes or minimize losses almost regularly. That Russia admits that soldiers have been killed on a larger scale is, however, unusual.
Russian soldiers allegedly used their cellphones on New Year’s Eve and revealed the location of the Russian base, according to Sevryukov.
– Currently, a commission is working to investigate the circumstances.
– But it is already obvious that the main reason was the use of mobile phones within range of the enemy’s weapons, in violation of the regulations.
The Ukrainian attack, which was carried out with the US Himars rocket artillery system a few minutes after midnight on New Year’s Eve, has caused great anger among Russian politicians and military bloggers who are allowed to comment on the war.
They criticize senior Russian commanders for not learning from past mistakes on the battlefield.