Ukraine war: Kyiv rejects Russia’s claim it killed 600 soldiers in ‘mass missile strike’

Moscow says bombardment launched in retaliation for Ukraine’s deadly New Year’s Eve attack

Kyiv has rejected a Russian claim that a missile strike on a city in Ukraine’s Donetsk region killed 600 of its troops, insisting there were no fatalities.

Russia’s defence ministry had earlier alleged that missiles had hit two makeshift bases housing 1,300 Ukrainian soldiers in the city of Kramatorsk.

Its spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said the bombardment had been launched in retaliation for Ukraine’s New Year’s Eve attack on temporary bases in the eastern city of Makiivka, which killed at least 89 Russian troops.