Ukraine war: Wagner base in Lugansk bombed, official says

The Ukrainian armed forces bombed a hotel he was using as a base the private military company Wagner, killing many of its members, an official said on Sunday. Serhii Haidai, the Ukrainian governor of Lugansk – much of which is controlled by pro-Russians and the Russian military – referred to the strike in a television interview.

Reuters news agency notes that it was unable to independently verify the information. According to Mr. Heidai, the attack on a hotel in the city of Kandyvka took place on Saturday.

Photos uploaded to social networking sites, particularly the Telegram platform, show the building reduced to rubble.

“A huge number of those who were there were killed,” the Ukrainian official said.

A representative of the Russian Defense Ministry was not available to comment on the information, according to the Athens News Agency.

Mr Haidai did not give a specific casualty count, but stressed that those injured would be in danger. “I am sure that at least 50% of those who were able to survive will die before they are offered medical treatment,” he said, because medical equipment in the area has been “stolen.”

Ukrainian media reported, citing local officials, that the hotel had been closed for some time.

The Wagner Group is said to have close ties to the Kremlin. His forces are known to take part in the battles in parts of it Ukrainian. He has also deployed his mercenaries in various African states.

Mr Heidai had referred, among other things, to a strike on Wagner’s headquarters in the town of Popasna in August.

Earlier yesterday, the Ukrainian general staff claimed responsibility for a series of missile strikes against command centers and warehouses in Russian-held sectors of Ukrainian territory, without naming specific targets.