News Feed

Russian media: Hundreds of Russian conscripts killed in Luhansk Oblast

1 min read

According to Russian media outlet Verstka, Ukrainian forces attacked the battalion of mobilized Russians, killing hundreds near Makiivka village in the embattled Luhansk Oblast on Nov. 2.

Verstka cited a Russian conscript who survived the attack.

The Russian battalion was formed out of conscripts from the Russian Voronezh region, Verstka reported.

According to the media outlet, the unit was supposed to stay 15 kilometers away from the front line but was deployed there without equipment on the night of Nov. 2. When Russian positions were shelled by Ukrainian artillery, Russian commanders fled from the position.

According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's plans to continue with covert mobilization suggest that partial mobilization did not produce sufficient forces for Russia's war in Ukraine.

Putin's claim on Nov. 4 that Russia had exceeded its goal of mobilizing 300,000 men doesn't stack up with his Nov. 4 decree that allows Russian officials to mobilize citizens with outstanding convictions and serious crimes, the ISW said.

A statistical analysis by Russian independent media outlet Mediazona suggests that around 492,000 men have likely been conscripted into the army since Putin's announcement of a "partial mobilization" on Sept. 21.

As of the latest figures shared by the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces, Russia has lost 75,440 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24.

Avatar
The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

Read more
News Feed
Video

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, war has become a daily reality for thousands of Ukrainian children. Some Ukrainian military units, such as the Azov Brigade, offer boot camps for teenagers to teach them the basics of self-defense, first aid, dry firing, and other survival skills — helping them prepare for both the realities of today and the uncertainties of the future.

Show More