HIMARS Strike Kills 100 Russian Soldiers Waiting for Commander's Speech: Ukraine Media

Some 100 Russian soldiers are believed killed when a missile from a Ukrainian HIMARS launcher struck at them as they waited for their commander to give a speech.

The alleged massacre occurred near Kreminna in Luhansk Oblast when members of the 20th Combined Arms Army gathered in a large group not far from the front lines and in range of Kyiv’s HIMARS rockets for two hours.

Ukraine has not officially confirmed it was behind the strike but an official speaking on condition of anonymity, told Kyiv Post: “It's a really funny situation there. They stood in the open air for two hours listening to the speech. That is enough time to fix them, transport the HIMARS, enter the coordinates and hit them.”

There is no official word regarding this incident from the Russian side.

A prominent Russian commentator Rybar posted on Telegram, “A tragic incident occurred in one of the divisions that were about to go on the offensive. For two hours people stood in a crowd in one place and waited for the division commander to say his motivating words.”

“But instead of him, the HIMARS MLRS and enemy artillery had their say. In the Yuzhnodonetsk direction, in a few days there were fewer victims in the battles than from the criminal stupidity of the division commander.”

The alleged incident brings back memories of Ukraine’s attack on Russian troops in Makiivka, Donetsk, soon after New Year. Russian officials acknowledged that at least 89 people were killed but Ukrainian sources as well as many Russian war correspondents say the death toll is closer to 400.