In an embarrassing incident close to the Donetsk airport, greater than two dozen Russian troopers had been mistakenly shot lifeless by their fellow comrades who mistook their disorganised retreat for a Ukrainian assault.

Reports counsel that the troopers' chaotic retreat and lack of coordination led to the deadly pleasant hearth incident.

According to Kyiv MP Yuriy Mysiagin, the Russian troops had been retreating to new positions in a disordered and virtually panicked method once they had been fired upon by their very own forces, reports Mail Online.

The Russian troopers, assuming their comrades had been enemy troopers trying to reclaim territory, unleashed artillery hearth on them. The consequence was a major variety of casualties and the lack of a number of items of apparatus.

Mysiagin stated: "The result was 27 dead and 34 wounded.

"Approximately half of the wounded had their arms or legs blown off."

His account was corroborated by a Ukrainian colonel in a Facebook post, who attributed the incident to the Russians' poor coordination.

"For some unknown motive, the enemy artillery started to fireside, not close to the entrance line or behind Ukrainian positions with a view to suppress our firepower, however on the positions and rear of this unit," stated the colonel, referring to the Russian troops.

The colonel's evaluation raised questions concerning the coaching and preparedness of the Russian forces.

The incident highlights a broader challenge throughout the Russian ranks, the place a scarcity of coaching and rushed deployment of troops has resulted in repeated cases of pleasant hearth.

The Russian navy authorities haven't but issued an official assertion relating to the incident.