Although the figures are from Ukraine, the number of dead and wounded cannot be confirmed as yet because there's nothing left of the complex which housed hundreds of Russian conscripts. The reason for the complete devastation appears to be that ammunition was also stored in the same building.
A New Year's strike, as the HIMARS arrived two minutes after midnight on New Year's Day. If confirmed, this would be the deadliest strike of the war.
Source: Yahoo/Ukrainska Pravda
StratCom reported that, thanks to a precise strike in Makiivka, about 400 mobilised Russians were killed and about 300 more invaders were wounded with varying degrees of severity.
It was noted that Russian soldiers were stationed in the building of local vocational school No. 19.
StratCom also published a video from the scene. It shows that the premises where the mobilised Russians were located has been completely destroyed.
Some Russian propagandists dispute the number, but at least one acknowledged hundreds killed and wounded, because the Russians housed ammunition in the same building. via BBC
Daniil Bezsonov, a senior Russian-backed official in the occupied parts of Donetsk, said the missile struck Makiivka two minutes after midnight on New Year's Day.
"A massive blow was dealt to the vocational school from American MLRS Himars," he said, referring to US-provided missiles.
"There were dead and wounded, the exact number is still unknown," Bezsonov added in a post on the messaging app Telegram.
Although access to Russian-controlled areas is restricted, a number of Russian commentators and bloggers acknowledged the attack - but suggested the numbers were lower than claimed.
Vladimir Solovyov, a Russian presenter, shared a Telegram saying "losses were significant... but not even close" to 400.
But Igor Girkin, a pro-Russian commentator, said hundreds had been killed and wounded, although the exact number was still unknown because of the large number still missing. The building itself was "almost completely destroyed", he said.
He added that the victims were mainly mobilised troops - that is, recent conscripts, rather than those who chose to fight. He also said ammunition was stored in the same building as the soldiers, making the damage worse.
Before and after...
And the aftermath.
Housing soldiers and ammunition in the same building? Nobody is that stupid, right?
It may even have been this one, decked out in festive lights.
