MOSCOW – Russia’s military ministry blamed an unlawful use of mobile phones by its soldiers for a devastating Ukrainian missile strike that killed 89 servicemen, considerably boosting the estimated death toll.
63 Russian servicemen were killed in the weekend strike, according to Moscow. The ministry’s response came as some Russian critics were increasingly vocal about what they saw as a half-hearted campaign in Ukraine.
The majority of the outrage on social media was directed at military leaders rather than Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has not publicly commented on the attack, which came after substantial combat retreats in recent months.
The Russian military ministry said four Ukrainian missiles hit a makeshift Russian barracks in a vocational college in Makiivka, eastern Ukraine’s twin city to the Russian-occupied regional capital of Donetsk.
Although an official investigation has been begun, the ministry stated that the main reason for the attack was plainly the unauthorized mass usage of mobile phones by personnel.
“This factor enabled the enemy to monitor and ascertain the coordinates of the soldiers’ location for a missile strike,” the Pentagon said in a statement released just after 1 a.m. (2200 GMT Tuesday) on Wednesday.
Semyon Pegov, a notable Russian war correspondent who was granted the Order of Courage by Putin in late 2022, called the ministry’s reasoning into question.
Pegov stated in a Telegram post that Ukraine could have located the troops using drones and intelligence rather than mobile phones.
“The’mobiles’ story isn’t very persuasive,” Pegov added. “I rarely say this — but this is the case when it would probably be better to remain silent, at least until the end of the investigation. As such, it appears to be an outright attempt to shift blame.”
Pegov also predicted an increase in casualties.
“Unfortunately, their population will continue to expand. The data released is most likely for those who were identified immediately. Unfortunately, the list of the missing is substantially longer. I can’t reveal the sources, but they’re trustworthy.”
In a video address on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who rarely remarks on specific Ukrainian military actions, made no mention of the incident. Ukraine’s military says it launched an attack in Makiivka that resulted in Russian equipment and potentially people loss. However, no further information has been provided.
Russian nationalist bloggers and several pro-Russian officials in the region place the dead toll at Makiivka in the hundreds, however some claim that figure is overblown.
“Major Russian offensive,” according to Zelensky, Russia is about to launch a major offensive.
“We have no doubt that Russia’s current leaders will throw everything they have left and everyone they can round up to try to turn the course of the war and at the very least postpone their defeat,” Zelensky said in a video speech.
“We must destabilize the Russian scenario. We’re getting ready for it. Terrorists must be defeated. “Any attempt to launch their new onslaught must fail,” he added.
To assure victory in Ukraine, a little-known patriotic club that supports the widows of Russian soldiers is urging Putin to authorize a large-scale recruitment of millions of men and to block the borders.
Zelensky reaffirmed Ukrainian claims that Moscow is considering a full-scale mobilization, which Russian authorities insist is not being considered at this time.
Putin intends to meet Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the latest in a series of meetings the two leaders have had since the war began.
Last year, Turkiye acted as a mediator alongside the UN to reach an agreement enabling grain exports from Ukrainian ports, but meaningful peace discussions are unlikely, especially while fighting continues.
Ukraine’s General Zaluzhny commended US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley for helping to assure the provision of anti-missile weaponry systems, which Kyiv claims is knocking out more and more Russian missiles aimed at power facilities.
Zaluzhny stated that he had addressed what equipment Ukraine needs to improve its prospects against Russia, a message that senior authorities have been emphasizing on a regular basis.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak assured Zelensky that Britain will be there for him in the long haul, “as indicated by the recent delivery of more than 1,000 anti-air missiles,” according to Sunak’s office on Tuesday.
Putin initiated his “special military operation” in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, to repel threats to Russian security and defend Russian speakers. Ukraine and its allies accuse Moscow of an unprovoked imperialist land grab.
The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Wednesday that Russia had launched seven missile strikes, 18 air strikes, and more than 85 multiple-launch rocket system attacks against civilian infrastructure in three cities, Kramatorsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, in the previous 24 hours.
“There have been casualties among the civilian population,” the statement claimed. Russia denies that it is targeting people.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the battlefield report.
Source: Reuters