After allegations of “criminal negligence”
Russia admits mistakes over Makiivka shelling
Russia suddenly names a higher number of deaths for Makiivka – and admits mistakes. That, after massive criticism, including from our own ranks, rained down.
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In Russia, criticism was voiced that numerous soldiers were killed when a Russian military barracks in Makiivka was shelled.
After the Ukrainian attacks on a Russian military barracks in Makiivka in the Donetsk region, Russia has acknowledged its mistakes. After massive criticism.
Now the Ministry of Defense in Moscow has corrected the number of its own soldiers killed by more than 20 to 89. The men and the deputy commander were found after the rocket attack on New Year’s Eve in the rubble of the collapsed reinforced concrete building, said Lieutenant General Sergey Sevryukov in Moscow on Wednesday night.
Russia puts forward this reason
Previously there had been talk of 63 deaths. Ukraine had fired at the shelter with the US Himar multiple rocket launcher. Sevryukov also acknowledged mistakes for the first time, thereby confirming media reports.
Accordingly, the main reason for the “tragedy” was that the soldiers used their mobile phones en masse on New Year’s Eve, despite a ban, thereby drawing the Ukrainian side’s attention to their location. The Ukrainian armed forces shot down six rockets, four of which hit and two were intercepted, it said. Ukraine had spoken of 400 dead and 300 injured in Makiivka.
The guilty would be held accountable
The investigations are still ongoing, but so much about the background is already clear, said Sevryukov. “This factor allowed the enemy to determine the direction and locate the coordinates of the position of the soldiers in order to carry out the missile strike.” Care is currently being taken to ensure that this does not happen again. In addition, the guilty officials would be held accountable.
According to the ministry representative in Moscow, the Himars system from which the shots had been fired was located and destroyed. In return fire, Russian troops in the Donetsk region also destroyed four Himars launch pads, four combat vehicles, more than 800 projectiles and killed more than 200 nationalists and foreign legionnaires. This information could not be verified independently.
Massive criticism of Russia – from Russia
Criticism of those responsible had grown in the Russian social networks. “What happened in Makiivka is terrible,” writes a Russian military blogger with more than 700,000 subscribers to Telegram.
The blogger, who calls himself Archangel Spetsnaz Z, asks: «Who came up with the idea of placing personnel in large numbers in a building where even a fool understands that there will be many wounded or dead even if they are hit with artillery will?”
«Makiivka is criminal negligence!»
There was also criticism from Pavlo Hubaryev. He is the “People’s Governor of Donetsk Oblast” and a pro-Russian activist. At Telegram he writes: “Settlement in small groups – everyone knows that. The mobilized may not know, but their superiors should know!”
And further: “These are the mistakes of the spring and summer of 2022. This is the eleventh month that we are at war!” He demands: “If there is no punishment now, then only the low point will follow! Makiivka is criminal negligence!” (euc/SDA)