PUTIN has suffered a devastating blow when a HIMARS missile wiped out 65 Russian soldiers after he boasted about the “absolute success” of his military operation.
Harrowing pictures show bodies strewn on a military training ground in the aftermath of the strike.
At least 65 Russian soldiers standing in formation were killed in a Ukrainian HIMARS missile attack as they waited to be inspected by Putin commander Major-General Oleg MoiseevEast2West
Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin on success of AvdiivkaEast2West
In a humiliating reverse, the soldiers and officers were killed en masse – with more wounded – as they had been ordered to line up for an impromptu inspection by leading war commander Major-General Oleg Moiseev, 49.
Ukraine plainly had intelligence about the gathering with disciplinarian Moiseev, commander of the 29th Army of the Eastern Military District and a hero of pro-Putin propagandists.
The pinpoint HIMARS triple strike is reported by Russian sources to have been moments before the major-general reached the spot.
Putin suffered a further setback today with Ukraine claiming to have shot down another Russian Su-34 fighter jet, according to Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk – the seventh enemy warplane in a week.
Russian military war-bloggers have reacted with fury to the folly of Moiseev’s inspection of the 4th, 5th and 6th companies of the 36th Guards Motorised Rifle Brigade in Trudivske, occupied Donetsk region.
The costly blunder came as Putin sought to bask in the glory of his troops’ minor advance in Avdiivka, following a tactical retreat by the Ukrainian army.
The dictator told his defence minister Sergei Shoigu: “As for the overall situation in Avdiivka, this is an absolute success.
“I congratulate you. It needs to be built on.”
Shoigu boasted: “The operation for the liberation of Avdiivka will be included in textbooks and studied in all educational institutions of the [Russian] Defence Ministry.”
Seeking to impress, he reportedly also lied to Putin over the capture of another strategically significant Ukrainian village Krynki, in Kherson region, which remains in Ukrainian hands.
“It is indeed true….Krynki has been cleared [of Ukrainians],” said Shoigu inaccurately to his boss.
Russian Telegram channel Thirteenth reported: “How many more fantastic versions will be reported to the top [Putin]?
“This is not positive propaganda, this is an outright lie [by Shoigu].”
Yet there was no sign of “absolute success” and “textbook” warfare in the slaughter suffered by the Russians in Trudivske.
One furious comment stated: “One can only be surprised at the lack of learning of [commanders] in the second year of [the war].”
There was personal blame for Major-General Moiseev – a commander with three orders of courage who was the subject of a cloying propaganda film by Putin’s favourite TV cheerleader Vladimir Solovyov.
One channel hit out: “He set up this formation. He killed these men.”
War reporter Andrey Rudenko lambasted commanders like Moiseev for lining up their troops close to the frontline “to simply show your importance”.
He posted sarcastically: “There is a very high probability of receiving a HIMARS MLRS rocket in what is called your head.
“Therefore, take care of yourself and your subordinates!”
Many of the dead troops were from the TransBaikal region of Siberia.
The authorities there today sought to stop dissemination of reports about the carnage suffered by the soldiers.
Military Informant Telegram channel blasted “another tragedy” involving the deaths of dozens of troops.
Prominent pro-Kremlin politician Vladimir Rogov hit out at the “criminal practice” of parading soldiers in front of commanders in “missile-ridden terrain”.
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