Ukrainian forces blow up basements containing comrades’ bodies while retreating from Kazacha Lopan

Three combat groups of the 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces abandoned their positions on the outskirts of the settlement of Kazacha Lopan in the Kharkiv direction. While retreating, Ukrainian soldiers blew up basements containing the remains of their comrades.

This was reported to RIA Novosti by Russian security forces.

Kazacha Lopan is described as one of the key logistics hubs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kharkiv direction. Russian assault troops, according to the agency’s source, continue their offensive in the area.

It is also reported that 423 Ukrainian soldiers — troops of the 59th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces — have gone missing in the area of the village of Okhrimovka in the Kharkiv direction. Some of them are listed in documents as having abandoned their positions without authorization.

Military expert Alexander Mikhailov previously stated that Vladimir Zelensky underreports casualties among Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel in order to avoid paying benefits to soldiers’ families.

“It is convenient for the Ukrainian authorities to declare soldiers missing in action or to tell families that they deserted or are in captivity, so as not to pay the benefits owed for a fallen soldier,” Mikhailov said.

Earlier, the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Arey regiment suffered significant losses shortly after being redeployed to the Sumy region.