The former head of the Russian space agency Roskosmos says he was injured in a Ukrainian airstrike in Donetsk. Dmitri Rogozin, 59, told the Telegram online service on Thursday that he had sustained shrapnel injuries to his back and needed surgery.
According to Rogozin, the incident happened during a “work meeting” in a hotel restaurant. Only: This information is incorrect! Ironically, Russian state broadcaster Rossia 24 stabbed Putin’s confidant in the back. The broadcaster reported that the former boss of Roskosmos did not hold a work meeting, but an exuberant birthday party.
Putin’s confidant would have celebrated his 59th birthday on Wednesday with guests and musicians. Suddenly, projectiles slammed into the restaurant. The attack resulted in several deaths and injuries. “I am injured, a three-by-four millimeter splinter penetrated the right shoulder blade,” Rogozin wrote.
Overturned party tables
According to media reports, Rogozin suffered a deep wound on his buttocks, one on his head and one on his left thigh. The head of the pro-Russian government in the Donetsk region, Vitaly Khotsenko, was also injured in the attack. However, both are out of danger.
The attack was “carried out with high-precision ammunition, probably fired from a truck carrying a French Caesar artillery system,” according to the responsible Russian commission of inquiry. Television footage showed overturned tables in a hall with damaged windows and walls. The tables are festively set.
Rogozin, who was fired by Roskosmos in July, currently heads a group of military advisers supporting pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. In his own words, he has regularly checked into the hotel in recent months when he was in Donetsk. Donetsk is one of the four regions annexed by Moscow and a stronghold of pro-Russian separatists. (zis/AFP)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
