Russian troops killed after Ukrainian strike on school building likely storing ammo

Ammunition was likely being stored in a Russian-held school building near Donetsk during a Dec. 31 Ukrainian strike that killed almost 90 occupying troops.

The building, which had been converted for military use, was leveled, British officials said Wednesday.

“Given the extent of the damage, there is a realistic possibility that ammunition was being stored near to troop accommodation, which detonated during the strike creating secondary explosions,” British military intelligence officials said on their Twitter page.

Donetsk is in eastern Ukraine. The building was about 8 miles from the front line, one of the most intensely contested areas of the war. Russia’s military has a record of unsafe ammunition storage practices that were common knowledge in military circles even before President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine last year.

“This incident highlights how unprofessional practices contribute to Russia’s high casualty rates,” British military intelligence officials tweeted.