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The Ukraine subject rejected arsenic mendacious Russia's claim that it conducted a "retaliation" rocket onslaught Sunday that killed 600 Ukrainian troops housed successful Kramatorsk successful the hotly contested Donetsk region.
Serhii Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine's forces successful the east, told The Associated Press that the missiles damaged civilian infrastructure but that the "armed forces of Ukraine weren’t affected.”
Earlier, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov said Russian quality "detected and reliably confirmed" done aggregate autarkic channels the determination of immoderate impermanent bases of Ukrainian servicemen successful Kramatorsk.
"As a effect of a monolithic rocket onslaught connected these impermanent bases of Ukrainian units, much than 600 Ukrainian servicemen were killed," helium said.
The ministry said the onslaught was successful retaliation for a Ukraine onslaught a week ago on buildings lodging Russian soldiers successful Makiivka, astir 60 miles southbound Kramatorsk. That onslaught killed 89 Russian servicemembers, the Kremlin said; Ukraine authorities estimated the decease toll was overmuch higher.
Sunday's rocket onslaught came hours aft the extremity of a partially observed, 36-hour unilateral cease-fire Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered to people Russian Orthodox Christmas.
UKRAINE DISMISSES PUTIN CEASE-FIRE ORDER: US to nonstop Bradley vehicles to Ukraine
Other developments:
►50 Ukrainian fighters returned location successful a captive swap with Russia, Ukrainian authorities said. Thirty-three were officers, 17 were privates and sergeants. Russia said 50 of its troops were freed.
►Ukrainian tennis subordinate Ekaterina Volodko defeated Russian Valeria Savinykh successful the finals of a tennis tourney successful Thailand.
►Russia and Belarus volition conducted associated tactical aerial unit exercises from Jan. 16 to Feb. 1, Belarusian officials announced. Belarus has been Russia closest state since the Ukraine penetration much than 10 months ago.
UKRAINE HAILS US MILITARY AIDas 'very powerful'; Christmas cease-fire said to falter
Russia bracing for Ukrainian offensive successful spring, British say
Russia has been bolstering its fortifications successful Zaporizhzhia, acrophobic that a major Ukrainian breakthrough successful the southeastern region would earnestly situation the viability of Russia’s ‘land bridge’ Russia and Crimea, the British Defense Ministry says. The ministry, successful its latest appraisal of the war, besides says the Russians are acrophobic that Ukrainian occurrence successful the Luhansk portion would further undermine the Kremlin’s professed warfare purpose of ‘liberating’ the Donbas.
"Deciding which of these threats to prioritize countering is apt 1 of the cardinal dilemmas for Russian operational planner," the appraisal says.
Contributing: The Associated Press
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