Russian blame game breaks out after Moscow says its own troops' cell phone use caused Makiivka strike - CNN International

CNN  — 

A uncommon nationalist blasted crippled has breached retired betwixt the Russian authorities and immoderate pro-Kremlin leaders and subject experts, aft Moscow appeared to blasted its ain soldiers’ usage of compartment phones for a Ukrainian onslaught that killed astatine slightest 89 troops connected New Year’s Day.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said that “the main cause” of a onslaught successful the occupied metropolis of Makiivka was the wide usage of compartment phones by Russian soldiers, “contrary to the ban,” which allowed Ukraine to “track and find the coordinates of the soldiers’ locations.”

But that relationship was angrily dismissed by an influential subject blogger and implicitly contradicted by the person of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) successful eastbound Ukraine, pointing to discord successful the Russian bid implicit Moscow’s effect to the attack.

The onslaught took spot conscionable aft midnight connected Sunday, targeting a vocational schoolhouse lodging Russian conscripts successful Makiivka, successful the Donetsk region, according to some Ukrainian and pro-Russian accounts.

It prompted a uncommon Russian admittance of a precocious decease toll. The Ukrainian subject reported adjacent much melodramatic figures, initially claiming up to astir 400 Russian soldiers were killed. CNN cannot independently verify either side’s reported decease toll. In either case, the onslaught marks 1 of the deadliest episodes of the struggle for Moscow’s forces.

Semyon Pegov, who blogs nether the alias WarGonzo and 2 weeks agone was personally awarded the Order of Courage by President Vladimir Putin astatine the Kremlin, attacked the Ministry of Defense’s Wednesday connection arsenic “not convincing” and “a blatant effort to smear blame.”

He questioned however the Ministry of Defense could beryllium “so sure” that the determination of soldiers lodging successful a schoolhouse gathering could not person been determined utilizing drone surveillance oregon a section informant.

And helium again questioned the authoritative decease toll, which was revised upward by Moscow to 89 from 63, penning that “their fig volition inactive beryllium growing.”

Pegov was joined successful his sentiment by Denis Pushilin, the pro-Russian DPR leader, who pointedly praised the “heroism” of the soldiers killed successful the onslaught soon aft the authorities pinned the blasted connected them.

“We know, and we cognize firsthand, what it is to endure losses,” Pushilin said connected Telegram Wednesday. “Based connected the accusation I have, I tin accidental with certainty that determination were galore displays of courageousness and existent heroism by the guys successful this regiment.”

“They risked their lives to help. Some of the dormant were those who died erstwhile they went backmost to rescue their chap work members,” helium said.

Sunday’s onslaught had already sparked vocal disapproval of Moscow’s subject from pro-Russian bloggers, who claimed that the troops lacked extortion and were reportedly being quartered adjacent to a ample cache of ammunition, which is said to person exploded erstwhile United States-made HIMARS rockets deed the school.

Daniil Bezsonov, a erstwhile authoritative successful the Russian-backed Donetsk administration, said connected Telegram that “apparently, the precocious bid is inactive unaware of the capabilities of this weapon.” And Igor Girkin, a Russian propagandist who blogs astir the warfare effort connected Telegram, claimed that the gathering was astir wholly destroyed by the secondary detonation of ammunition stores.

Video reportedly from the country of the onslaught circulated wide connected Telegram, including connected an authoritative Ukrainian subject channel. It showed a heap of smoking rubble, successful which astir nary portion of the gathering appears to beryllium standing.