War in Ukraine: Kyiv attacks the base of Russian troops in Donetsk during New Year’s Eve

On the night of 31 December, an attack on the Russian military base of Makiivka, in Donetsk (eastern Ukraine), was launched 400 Russian soldiers killed and 300 others injured, the Kyiv Armed Forces reported on Monday. Moscow has admitted to the attack but said only 63 servicemen were killed.

Russian troops are estimated to be stationed at the base.

Published Ukrainian media photos and videos of the place, revealing vast destructions.

Alexander Sladkov, a war correspondent for Russia’s Rossiya TV channel, confirmed that Russians were mobilized there.

The attack on the base was launched at midnight, while Russian soldiers they were at the table to celebrate the new year.

The Russian Defense Ministry acknowledged on Monday the deaths of 63 Russian soldiers following the impact of a Ukrainian missile on the base in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, annexed by Moscow last September.

“The Kiev regime stuck with six HIMARS missiles, produced in the United States, the temporary headquarters of one of the Russian military units in the city of Makiivka,” said the spokesman of the Russian command, Igor Konashenkov, who specified that the Russian anti-aircraft defense shot down two of the six shells.

According to the Defense, “as a result of the impact of four missiles (…) 63 Russian soldiers died”.

“The relatives and relatives of the deceased soldiers will receive all necessary help and support,” the Russian command added.

The Ukrainian command, for its part, reported this attack on its Facebook account, noting it “Santa Claus packed 400 corpses of Russian pigs”as well as more than 300 wounded.

Daniil Bezsonov, a senior Russian-backed official in occupied parts of Donetsk, earlier said a missile hit Makiivka two minutes after midnight of New Year’s Day.

“A major blow has been dealt to vocational school,” he said. “There were dead and wounded.”

Although access to Russian-controlled areas it is narrow, several Russian commentators and bloggers have acknowledged the attack, they have also suggested that the figures were lower than stated.

Vladimir Solovyov, a Russian presenter, shared a Telegram saying that “the losses were significant… but not even close” to 400.

But Igor Girkin, a pro-Russian commentator, said hundreds of people were killed and injured, though the exact number is still unknown due to the large number of missing. The building itself was “almost completely destroyed,” she said.

recent recruits

He added that the casualties were mainly mobilized troops, ie recent recruits. He also said the ammunition was stored in the same building as the soldiers, making the damage worse.

“Almost all the military equipment was also destroyed, which was right next to the building without any kind of disguise,” he wrote on Telegram.

Girkin is a well-known military blogger who led Russian-backed separatists when they occupied large parts of eastern Ukraine in 2014. He was recently convicted of murder for his role in the downing of Flight MH17.

Despite its pro-Russian stance, he regularly criticizes the Russian military leadership and its tactics.

According to the Ukrainian military, 300 were injured in addition to the estimated 400 dead.

One of the deadliest attacks

The Ukrainian military claims, almost daily, that it has killed dozens, sometimes hundreds, of soldiers in attacks, therefore caution is needed. But if the claims are confirmed, this could be it one of the deadliest attacks of Ukraine against Russian targets in the war.

Ukraine has not confirmed that the attacks were carried out with Himars missiles, confirming a long-standing strategy don’t reveal details about his attacks.

He simply said, sarcastically, that the deaths were the result of “careless handling of heating devices, neglect of safety measuressmoke in an unidentified place“.

EFE and ANSA