A top Russian military blogger, who just weeks ago received an award from President Vladimir Putin, cast doubt on Moscow’s official figure for the death toll in the attack on a Russian barracks in the east. Ukraine is occupied.
Semyon Pegov, who blogs under the alias “WarGonzo,” posted a five-minute video on his Telegram channel on Tuesday morning discussing what he calls the “Makiivka tragedy.”
“Despite the official statement from the Department of Defense, the exact number of casualties is unknown,” Pegov said in the video.
“To the extent that we can trust our sources who worked at the site of this tragedy, they are still digging through the wreckage at this time. And unfortunately, the number of victims of this tragedy – HIMARS’ assault on areas of both newly mobilized and serving troops, including the National Guard – may be even higher. bigger.”
In a rare admission, the Russian Defense Ministry on Monday said 63 servicemen were killed in Makiivka when Ukraine used HIMARS missiles to attack a building where Russian soldiers were stationed.
Ukraine’s military claimed about 400 Russian soldiers were killed and more than 300 wounded, saying the exact number was “under investigation”.
In any case, it would represent one of the most dangerous phases of the war for Russian forces.
Putin individual awards Pegov with the “Order of Courage” at the Kremlin on December 20.
Pegov is not alone in casting doubt on the official Russian account.
Igor Girkin, a former official of the Russian-backed Donetsk People’s Republic, on Monday suggested that the death toll could be in the hundreds.
Girkin, who was found guilty of mass murder by a Dutch court in connection with the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine, said: “There is still no final figure on the number of casualties as there are many people. are still missing. 2014.
