The Russian Defense Ministry said that the death toll in the strike of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the point of temporary deployment of Russian troops in Makeyevka has risen to 89.

“Unfortunately, during the removal of the rubble of reinforced concrete structures, the number of our comrades who died increased to 89,” said Lieutenant General Sergei Sevryukov, First Deputy Head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the RF Armed Forces.

He added that among the dead was the deputy commander of the regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Bachurin.

As Sevryukov noted, the attack of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the location of the Russian military was carried out on January 1 at 00:01.

There were six HIMARS missiles in the salvo, two of which intercepted Russian air defense systems.

The four remaining rockets with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead hit the building where Russian servicemen were stationed.

As a result of the detonation of the warheads of rocket projectiles, the ceilings of the building collapsed.

As noted in the Ministry of Defense, immediately after the tragedy, the command and officers of the military unit, junior commanders and servicemen of other units took all available measures to save the victims.

They received medical care, the wounded were evacuated to medical facilities.

It is noted that all the victims and the families of the victims are also provided with assistance and support.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also stated that a commission is currently working to investigate the circumstances of the incident, but the preliminary reasons are already known.

“The main reason for what happened was the inclusion and massive use, contrary to the ban, by personnel of mobile phones in the reach of enemy weapons,” Sevryukov said.

The defense department emphasized that this factor allowed the enemy to locate and determine the coordinates of the location of military personnel for launching a missile strike.

At the same time, the Ministry of Defense is taking the necessary measures to prevent similar tragic incidents in the future.

According to the results of the investigation into the events in Makiivka, the guilty officials will be brought to justice, the Ministry of Defense added.

Attacks on HIMARS installations and APU positions

At the same time, the department noted that the HIMARS installation, from which the shelling of the temporary location of troops in Makeyevka, was destroyed by return fire.

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In addition, four more HIMARS installations were hit as a result of strikes by the Russian Armed Forces. 

During these events, four RM-70 Vampire MLRS combat vehicles and more than 800 rockets for them were also destroyed.

Among other things, the points of temporary deployment of one of the units of the "Foreign Legion" were hit, more than 130 foreign mercenaries were destroyed.

Pushilin about the events in Makiivka

Acting head of the DPR Denis Pushilin spoke about the courage and heroism of the servicemen from the unit that was injured in the strike in Makiivka.

According to him, the military provided assistance to their comrades and rescuers who arrived at the scene.

“Most of them, barely getting out of the building damaged by American HIMARS, came to their senses a little and returned back to pull out their comrades.

Then, when the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations arrived, they helped them to save the rest.

They helped, risking their lives,” Pushilin wrote on Telegram.

According to him, some soldiers died when they returned to rescue their colleagues.

In addition, Pushilin noted that the officers of the regiment risked themselves to pull the soldiers out.

“Unfortunately, there are also wounded and dead among them.

The deputy commander of the regiment, alas, died, ”said the acting head of the DPR.

Pushilin also mentioned that the military, who lost their uniforms and equipment as a result of the events in Makeevka, will be provided with everything necessary.