Day 315: Russia Revises Makiivka Death Toll to 89, Blames Phones

Facts

• The death toll from a New Year's Eve attack on a temporary Russian barracks in the Donetsk city of Makiivka has risen to 89, Russia's defense ministry said late on Tuesday.
• Initially, 63 soldiers were reported killed, but the figure rose following further searches of the debris, the ministry said. In a press conference, Lt. Gen. Sergey Sevryukov told reporters that prohibited and "large-scale use" of personal phones was to blame.
• Seryukov said: "This factor enabled the enemy to take the bearing and determine coordinates of servicemen location to deliver a missile strike. Required measures are being taken at present to exclude such tragic incidents in the future."
• On Wednesday, Seryukov told reporters: "The Multiple Launch Rocket System [MLRS], using which the Ukrainian armed forces had shelled [Makiivka], was destroyed by the return fire."
• In the attack on Druzhkivka railway station, in addition to four MLRS, Russia alleged to have destroyed four High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), munitions and other vehicles. They also said 200 Ukrainian nationals and 130 mercenaries from "the Foreign Legion" were "destroyed." Russia's claims on damages couldn't be independently confirmed.
• Without reporting military losses, Ukrainian media reported that the attacks in Druzhkivka destroyed the Altair ice rink, and damaged a bus station, a church, and buildings of the MAN Hotel. There were no reports of civilian injuries.
• Meanwhile, in the last day, Russian attacks have continued to be recorded in the regions of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia. One civilian was reported killed and five were injured in Donetsk while four people were killed and five more injured in Kherson. Two civilians were reported injured in Zaporizhzhia and two more were injured in Kharkiv.

Sources: Tass, FOX News, and Ukrinform.

Narratives

• Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by Ukrinform. Russia's attacks on Druzhkivka are another example of its actions as a terrorist state. The ice rink was beloved by many in the community and was used to deliver humanitarian aid. A bus station, a church, and a hotel were also damaged.
• Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by Tass. Russia's attacks on Druzhkivka targeted the rocket launchers and weaponry that targeted Makiivka. Ukrainian soldiers and foreign mercenaries were also killed. These attacks were on legitimate military targets.

Predictions