Russia has said a new year missile attack that killed at least 89 Russian soldiers happened because troops were using their mobile phones.
Ukraine hit a college for conscripts in Makiivka, in the occupied Donetsk area, shortly after midnight on 1 January.
Soldiers’ use of banned phones allowed the enemy to locate its target, the Russian military has now said.
While the number of people killed is unverified, it is the largest death toll acknowledged by Russia in the war.
Ukraine claims the figure is far higher, saying 400 soldiers were killed in the attack and a further 300 wounded.
Russia said that at 00:01 local time on New Year’s Day, six rockets were fired from a US-made Himars rocket system at a vocational college, two of which were shot down.
The deputy commander of the regiment, Lt Col Bachurin, was among those killed, the military of defence said in a statement on Telegram in the early hours of Wednesday.
A commission is investigating the circumstances of the incident, the statement said.
But it is “already obvious” that the main cause of the attack was the presence and “mass use” of mobile phones by troops in range of Ukrainian weapons, despite this being banned, he added.
“This factor allowed the enemy to locate and determine the coordinates of the location of military personnel for a missile strike.”
Officials found guilty in the investigation will be brought to justice, the statement added, and steps are being taken to prevent similar events in future.
