"Over the past day, Russian intelligence has discovered and reliably confirmed through several independent channels the temporary deployment points of the Ukrainian armed forces in the city of Kramatorsk. There were more than 700 Ukrainian servicemen in dormitory No. 28 and more than 600 Ukrainian servicemen in dormitory No. 47. As a result of a massive missile strike on these points of temporary deployment of units of the Ukrainian armed forces, more than 600 Ukrainian servicemen were destroyed," the ministry said.
On January 1, at 00:01 Moscow time (21:01 December 31 GMT), Ukrainian artillery fired six HIMARS rockets at a temporary deployment point of a Russian military unit in the area of Makeevka, with two rockets intercepted by air defense, first deputy head of the Russian Armed Forces' Main Military-Political Directorate, Lt. Gen. Sergey Sevryukov, said. Four rockets hit the building where Russian servicemen were stationed, killing 89 soldiers.