Three Ukrainian soldiers of the 28th Mechanized Infantry Brigade struck an “unknown explosive device” in the war zone of Donbas on Feb 6, with two killed on the spot and one more fighter sustaining severe injuries, according to Ukraine’s military.
Ukraine’s military-police contingent in the region, the Joint Forces, said the deadly incident occurred as the affected personnel carrier was moving through war front desolation near the town of Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast, some 40 kilometers southwest of the Kremlin-controlled city of Donetsk.
“Two of the country’s defenders have died, the life of the third soldier is being fought for by doctors,” as the military communique said.
The slain soldiers’ identities were disclosed by their combat unit on Feb. 7 as senior private Nazariy Polischuk and private Oleksiy Podvezenniy.
“The third serviceperson is receiving treatment in a hospital,” the brigade added.
As recently as on Feb. 2, another Ukrainian fighter, Senior Sailor Dmytro Vlasenko of the 503rd Marine Battalion, was shot dead by an enemy sniper, becoming the fourth combat-related fatality in Ukrainian ranks in 2021.
At least 14,000 people have been killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine, launched in 2014 after Kremlin-backed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych fled the EuroMaidan Revolution. Moscow first invaded and seized the Crimean peninsula, which it illegally claims is part of Russia, then its soldiers instigated a war in the eastern Donbas, controlling 18,000 square kilometers to this day.
