President Vladimir Putin has been dealt a fresh blow in Russia's invasion of Ukraine with an artillery strike reportedly killing hundreds of soldiers.
Footage has emerged showing a large ammo store on fire after it was allegedly hit – leaving just one survivor, reports The Sun.
Private soldiers from Russia's infamous Wagner Group were reportedly using the sports arena as a base in Kadiivka, eastern Ukraine.
It is reported up to 300 mercenaries were killed in the attack in what would be one of the biggest losses of life since the war in Ukraine commenced in in February.
Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk province, said that Ukrainian forces shelled the mercenary headquarters.
He said: "The Armed Forces of Ukraine launched a well-aimed attack on it. Only one occupier survived."
Putin's notorious Wagner Group are believed to have been covertly operating in Ukraine since Russia illegally annexed Crimea.
The Russians have reportedly occupied the sports facility since their initial incursion into Ukraine back in 2014.
Before launching their full scale invasion in February, the Kremlin had been for years supporting pro-Russian rebels in the Donbas area.
The Wagner Group are consider Putin's private army and have operated across the world. The Russian president is claimed to have used the group to give himself plausible deniability as they are not explicitly tied to the Kremlin.
The 8,000 strong group have been accused of killing children, raping and torturing women and carrying out executions.
Wagner mercenaries are often retired Russian soldiers and they reportedly earn up to £2,000 pounds a month.
The group first appeared in Ukraine in 2014 where it played a key role in Russia's illegal seizure of Crimea.
Russia is estimated to have lost more than 30,000 men after just over 100 days of the war in one of the biggest military disasters in modern times.
Ukraine is mounting a sterling defence against Russia's massive military, but their losses are almost mounting as they try to push back Putin's men.
It is estimated between 100 to 200 Ukrainian troops are now being killed every day on the frontline.
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