63 Russian troops killed in Ukrainian strikes

GBNEWS24DESK//

Russia yesterday admitted dozens of its soldiers were killed in a Ukrainian strike on Russian-controlled territory in a bloody New Year’s weekend for both sides of the conflict.

In an extremely rare announcement, the Russian defence ministry said that 63 Russian servicemen were killed “as a result of a strike by four missiles” in the occupied city of Makiivka in eastern Ukraine.

It was the biggest loss of life reported by the Russian side so far in a conflict that has dragged on since President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops to invade on February 24 last year.

The Russian defence ministry did not say when the strike took place but Ukrainian forces are believed to have struck as Russian troops rang in the New Year.

The ministry said US-supplied Himars rocket systems had been used and the target was a temporary deployment point.

Without claiming the strike, Ukraine’s military put the death toll much higher, claiming nearly 400 troops were killed.

Russian strikes in different parts of Ukraine on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day killed at least five people.

The Ukrainian capital again came under fire from Iranian-made drones yesterday, although Ukrainian forces claimed the majority were shot down by air defences.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported an explosion in northeastern Kyiv and said emergency services were dispatched.

“An injured 19-year-old man was hospitalised in the Desnyanskyi district of the capital,” he said.

Authorities later said he was hit by the falling debris.

Following the strikes, the power company Ukrenergo said the situation with the electricity supply in Kyiv was now “more complicated”.