Russia Claims Up To 500 Ukrainian Servicemen Killed In Strike In Ukraine's Mykolaiv

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Wednesday that up to 500 Ukrainian servicemen were killed in a strike at the Okean Shipyard in the Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv.

"On June 21, as a result of a strike with high-precision weapons of the Russian Aerospace Forces, up to 500 servicemen of the 59th Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with weapons and military equipment, located in the workshops of the Mykolaiv Okean Shipyard were destroyed," spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a news conference in Moscow.

In another military unit, the 57 motorized infantry brigade fighting in the Luhansk region, soldiers refused to carry out orders and left positions after human losses rose to more than 60%, said Konashenkov.

In the Donetsk region, Ukrainian armed forces evacuated 30 wounded and eight dead American and British mercenaries to prevent their capture by Russian forces, he said.

During the last day, Russian aviation destroyed five ammunition depots, an air defense system Buk-M1, manpower and military equipment in 151 areas, said Konashenkov.

Rocket forces and artillery hit 253 areas of manpower concentration and military equipment, six ammunition depots, a fuel terminal in Mykolaiv, 13 units, operating multiple rocket launchers, 10 artillery units and a US-made station of artillery reconnaissance AN-TPQ.

"In total, more than 620 nationalists, 24 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, as well as 27 special vehicles were destroyed during the day in air, missile and artillery strikes," said Konashenkov.

Meanwhile, the Russian air defense systems shot down a Su-25 and MiG-29 fighter jets, 16 unmanned aerial vehicles, three Tochka-U ballistic missiles and 14 projectiles, the spokesman noted.

"In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 211 aircraft, 132 helicopters, 1,308 unmanned aerial vehicles, 349 air defense systems, 3,733 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 594 multiple rocket launchers, 2,081 field artillery and mortar guns, as well as 3,801 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed," he said.

More than 4,500 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the war started Feb. 24 with Russia.

Over 14 million people have been forced to flee their homes, including more than 7.7 million that have fled to other countries, according to UN figures. -