London: Russia has suffered its deadliest day of the war so far after Ukraine launched a massive strike during Putin’s New Year’s Eve speech, media reported.
Hundreds of mobilised troops reportedly died in the Ukrainian strike on a barracks in the Donbas region just before the clock struck midnight.
The deadly strike was 115 miles from where Putin “pre-recorded” his New Year’s message with dozens of troops in Russia’s Rostov region, The Sun UK reported.
During his speech, he claimed the West was “cynically using Ukraine and its people to weaken and divide Russia”.
Russia attempted to hide the toll of soldiers lost in the strike – but Ukraine’s military puts the number of Russian deaths at 400, with 300 others wounded.
Moscow did confirm a “significant loss of life”, signalling a grievous blow to the already exhausted Russian troops.
According to reports on the Telegram channel of General SVR, Putin has lost more than 1,000 FSB secret service officers in the war in Ukraine – bringing Russia’s death toll to 145,000 in 10 months, The Sun UK reported.
Thought to be a Kremlin insider, the report suggests the losses in Putin’s regular army alone to 104,186, with another 33,902 in private military companies – like Wagner Group – which are fighting for the Kremlin in the war.
Losses in the Russian National Guard amount to 5,941, it is claimed.
A viral video showed a family watching Putin’s speech before eating a traditional New Year’s meal in their home.
A woman on the balcony began screaming in the video as the attack began on the Russian barracks, The Sun UK reported.
Another video showed a Ukrainian soldier in a holiday hat as a missile
launches behind him – at the same time as the strike on Makiivka.
Russian pro-war sources say two HIMARS missile strikes hit the barracks in Makiivka, killing Russian commanders alongside their soldiers.
(IANS)
