Ukrainian missile strike kills dozens of Russian soldiers at Donetsk training range
According to reports by Ukrainian journalist Denis Kazansky, BBC Russian Service correspondent Ilya Barabanov, and DPR military Egor Guzenko, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a missile strike at a training ground near the village of Trudovske in the Volnovakha district of the Donetsk region. As a result, dozens of soldiers from the Russian 36th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade (military unit 06705) from Zabaikalsky Krai were killed.
The strike, carried out by two HIMARS rockets in the middle of the day on 20 February, targeted Russian military personnel from three companies of the motor rifle brigade, amounting to 200-300 people, who were assembled at the training ground awaiting the arrival of Major General Oleg Moiseev, commander of the Eastern Military District's 29th Army. The BBC Russian Service notes it has over 10 photographs and video recordings showing dozens of dead. According to the outlet, at least 60 people were killed. Guzenko claims there were 65 fatalities, while Barabanov's sources say at least 60. Several videos from the scene have been published. In one, a Russian army soldier mentions that the military was waiting for Moiseev's arrival when the strike occurred. Guzenko also asserts the soldiers were awaiting the general.
The authorities in Zabaykalsky Krai have stated they are verifying the information about the deaths of service personnel from the region in the "DPR". "The governor of the Krai is in communication with the Ministry of Defence to establish the veracity of the information being disseminated by Ukrainian internet resources," said a post on the regional government's Telegram channel.
The Ukrainian authorities have not yet made any statements on the matter.