Ukraine denies Moscow claim it killed 600 soldiers - BBC

Ukraine has labelled a Russian assertion that hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers were killed successful an onslaught "propaganda".

Moscow claimed, without providing immoderate evidence, that a "mass rocket strike" successful the eastbound metropolis of Kramatorsk had killed much than 600 Ukrainian forces.

It said it was successful retaliation for a Ukrainian onslaught connected a Russian basal that killed dozens of Russian soldiers connected New Year's Day.

But the Ukrainian subject says this is untrue.

"This is different portion of Russian propaganda," Serhiy Cherevaty, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian army, told the BBC.

Russia's defence ministry said it had killed much than 600 Ukrainian servicemen successful a onslaught connected buildings temporarily lodging Ukrainian forces. More than 1,300 Ukrainian troops were housed successful 2 buildings, Moscow said.

It called the attacks a "retaliatory strike" to avenge the deaths of 89 Russian troops killed successful Makiivka.

Ukraine says arsenic galore arsenic 400 radical were killed oregon wounded astatine Makiivka, portion numbers into the hundreds person been fixed by Russian nationalists connected societal media.

Moscow is yet to connection immoderate impervious of Russia's assertion to person killed hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers.

On Saturday, journalists from the AFP quality bureau successful Kramatorsk, which is located successful the eastbound portion of Donetsk, heard astatine slightest 4 explosions earlier midnight.

There was further shelling successful assorted parts of Ukraine overnight aft the extremity of what Russian President Vladimir Putin said was a 36-hour ceasefire by Russian forces truthful Orthodox Christians could observe Christmas. Evidence suggests this alleged ceasefire was not adhered to by Moscow.

Ukrainian officials said astatine slightest 1 idiosyncratic was killed successful the Kharkiv portion successful the north-east.

Explosions were besides reported successful the confederate cities of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol.

Russia's defence ministry said that Ukraine had returned 50 captured Russian soldiers aft negotiations. Kyiv confirmed that it had received the aforesaid magnitude of soldiers successful instrumentality from Russia.