Russian anger as commanders ignored dangers with deadly Makiivka airstrike

EMERGENCY workers are still clearing the rubble of a building in the city of Makiivka, days after it was shelled.

The New Year's Eve strike by Ukrainian forces destroyed a temporary barracks in a vocational college here for Russian troops - marking one of the bloodiest incidents in the war so far.

The city is in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region of Ukraine - and in a rare disclosure, Russia's defense ministry said 63 soldiers were killed in the strike.

Russian nationalists and some lawmakers have demanded punishment for the commanders they accused of ignoring dangers.

Critics said the soldiers were being housed alongside an ammunition dump at the site, despite commanders knowing it was within range of Ukrainian rockets.