Dozens more Russian recruits have been identified after being blown up in a New Year's Eve missile strike in Russian-occupied territories in eastern Ukraine, local media reported on the 4th (local time).
A statement by Lieutenant General Sergei Sevryukov said 89 soldiers, including the regiment's deputy commander, Lieutenant Colonel Bachurin, were killed in a temporary dormitory for new recruits in Makiyivka, Donetsk province, which was attacked by Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
Earlier, Russia had counted the death toll at 63, while Ukraine claimed the death toll could reach up to 400.
"The main reason for this tragedy was that the soldiers broke the mobile phone ban and turned on and used the power within the range of the opponent's weapon," said Lieutenant General Sevryukov. I did.
He continued, "We will take relevant measures to prevent a recurrence in the future," and emphasized, "Those responsible will be punished."
This is a reference to criticism from some Russians right after the airstrike that the unit allowed soldiers to use mobile phones and provided an excuse for an attack on the Ukrainian army.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said the missiles were fired from the "Himas" high-speed mobile artillery rocket system provided by the US to Ukraine, and four of them, except for two that were shot down, hit the temporary lodgings, causing the ceiling of the building to collapse and causing casualties. It was vague.
In response, Russian forces carried out retaliatory airstrikes near the Donetsk Druzhkivka railway station, claiming that up to 400 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and four Heimas launchers were destroyed.
Deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kirilo Tymoshenko said an attack in the Druzhkivka area destroyed an ice hockey rink and injured two people.
(Photo = AP, Yonhap News)