Dead because of New Year's text?
Russia confirms largest loss in Ukraine war so far
Created: 01/04/2023 05:25
By: Christina Denk
Russia has confirmed the loss of soldiers in Ukraine's New Year attack in Donbass.
It is speculated that the offensive was made possible by text messages from New Year's Eve.
What is known so far.
Makiivka – It is Russia's greatest recognized loss since the beginning of the Ukraine war: in occupied Makiivka, a Russian base was shelled by the Ukrainian side on New Year's Eve.
Numerous Russian soldiers died.
Ukraine speaks of 400 dead, Russia confirmed 63 killed forces.
In the end, were New Year's Eve text messages to blame for the precise impact?
Russian military bloggers and government officials have sharply criticized their own military leadership.
Dead because of New Year's text?
They may have betrayed the use of mobile phones by the soldiers
The attack is said to have been possible because the soldiers who had just arrived were using their mobile phones intensively, texting and calling family on New Year's Eve.
An anonymous source for the pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk told the Russian state news agency Tass.
Oe24
reports on a gathering at a New Year's Eve party at the vocational school, which was hit by US Himar missiles.
Thanks to the strong mobile phone signals, the Ukrainian forces could have located the Russian soldiers.
However, reconnaissance on the ground and from the air using satellite images would also be conceivable, writes
Der Spiegel
.
Dead because of New Year's text?
Russian people sharply criticize their own military leadership
However, Russian newcomers are said to be stationed in large groups in Ukraine again and again.
Accordingly, there were no supervisors to distribute the reservists more.
Ammunition was probably also stored nearby in Makiivka, wrote
Der Spiegel
, among others .
The information cannot be independently verified.
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The mass accommodation of Russian soldiers was strongly criticized from the Russian ranks after the New Year's attack.
"Ten months after the start of the war, it is dangerous and criminal to look at the enemy as a fool who can't see," said Andrei Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Moscow city parliament.
Several Russian war reporters, whose influence in the country has grown recently, accused senior military commanders of not having learned from past mistakes.
The popular Russian Telegram channel Greyzone described the procedure as a self-inflicted security risk, reports
Der Spiegel
.
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Ukrainian New Year attack in Makiivka: what are the Russian casualties?
According to the Greyzone channel, the group based in Makiivka had 500 members.
At least 130 were killed, the channel said.
The former leader of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, Igor Strelkov, also spoke of hundreds of deaths.
Russia officially confirmed 63, Ukraine 400 and shortly thereafter reported another 500 fallen and injured Russian soldiers.
Workers clear debris after a Ukrainian attack in occupied Makiivka.
Russia confirmed losses in its ranks.
© Uncredited/dpa
In light of these assessments, users of online networks accused Russia of downplaying the number of deaths.
“My God, who will believe the number 63?
The building was completely destroyed,” wrote a woman on VKontakte, a service popular in Russia.
According to Igor Strelkov, Makiivka is not the only location where Russian personnel and ammunition are stationed within range of the Ukrainian army and US missiles,
Der Spiegel
is quoted as saying .
Meanwhile, the Danish secret service reports that Putin's drugs may have contributed to the Ukraine war.
At the beginning of the invasion, the Russian president underwent hormone therapy.
Megalomania is also listed as a side effect.
(chd with dpa)