Moment Zelensky told tanks would be delivered
Vladimir Putin’s commanders are likely lying about the true death toll of the Makiivka attack on New Year’s Day, UK intelligence has said.
The Ministry of Defence said Russia likely suffered more than 300 casualties in the strike on troop accommodation near Donetsk city.
Russia claims that 89 people were killed, but the MoD said the death toll is likely to be far higher, which it said highlights “the pervasive presence of disinformation in Russian public announcements”.
The MoD added: “This typically comes about through a combination of deliberate lying authorised by senior leaders, and the communication of inaccurate reports by more junior officials, keen to downplay their failings in Russia’s ‘blame and sack’ culture.”
It comes as three people were killed and at least two others wounded in a Russian attack in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka.
Russian troops are trying to breach Ukrainian lines in the east and northeast ahead of new weaponry arriving from the United States, Britain, Germany, Poland and others.
