Russia blames Ukraine's New Year's Day missile attack on troops' mobile phone use

Moscow: A missile attack on New Year's Day (January 1) in the occupied Donetsk area of Ukraine resulted in the deaths of at least 89 Russian soldiers. Russia has claimed that the attack, which took place at a vocational college in Makiivka, was enabled by the soldiers' use of mobile phones. In a statement, the Russian military said that the "mass use" of mobile phones by troops in range of Ukrainian weapons allowed the enemy to "locate and determine the coordinates of the location of military personnel for a missile strike." Six rockets were fired from a US-made Himars rocket system at around 12:01 a.m., with two of the rockets being shot down.

'Mobile phones allowed enemy to determine location of soldiers'

The deputy commander of the regiment, Lt Col Bachurin, was among those killed in the attack. In response to the tragedy, a commission has been formed to investigate the circumstances of the incident and determine any wrongdoing. Officials found guilty will be held accountable for their actions. The military has also stated that measures are being taken to prevent similar events from occurring in the future.

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This marks the highest number of deaths acknowledged by Russia since the start of the war on February 24, 2022. The use of mobile phones by troops has long been a controversial issue, with many military organizations banning their use in active war zones due to the potential security risks they pose. It is unclear at this time whether the soldiers in this particular incident were specifically targeted because of their use of mobile phones, or if it was simply a factor that contributed to their vulnerability.

The attack has drawn condemnation from leaders around the world, with many calling for an end to the conflict and a return to peace negotiations. The ongoing war in Ukraine has caused significant loss of life and suffering for both soldiers and civilians, and it is imperative that efforts are made to bring an end to the violence as soon as possible.

(With agency inputs)