The governor of Russia's southwestern Samara region held talks in Moscow on Tuesday with the leadership of the Russian Defense Ministry, after dozens of Russian military deaths in the city of Makiivka in the Donetsk region, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.
Some of the servicemen, who died in the strike that took place just after midnight on Sunday at a vocational school housing Russian conscripts, were mobilized from Samara region, according to RIA Novosti, quoting the Samara region Gov. Dmitry Azarov.
The Russian Defense Ministry has said 89 servicemen were killed in the strike. The Ukrainian military initially claimed up to around 400 Russian soldiers were killed, later adding that the number was "being clarified."
CNN cannot independently verify either side’s reported death toll. In either case, the strike marks one of the deadliest episodes of the conflict for Moscow’s forces.
Azarov agreed on "full coordination with the actions of the Ministry of Defense and the region," the agency reported.
Issues related to medical care for servicemen mobilized from the territory of Samara region, additional uniforms and other issues "have been worked out," according to RIA Novosti.
"Verified official data is very important now. As information becomes available on each serviceman, we will bring information to relatives and friends," Azarov said, according to RIA Novosti, quoting the regional press service.
On Wednesday, Azarov plans to visit wounded servicemen from Samara at a regional hospital in the city of Rostov-on-Don, the state media agency said.
Ceremonies for the dead: Residents in the city of Samara held a mourning ceremony on Tuesday for the Russian servicemen killed in Makiivka. Residents gathered at Glory Square in Samara attended a memorial service and observed a moment of silence in memory of the soldiers, after which they laid flowers at the eternal flame, the agency said.
"For three days I haven't slept and the city of Samara hasn't slept. We are constantly in touch with the wives of our guys. It's very hard and scary. But it will not break us. Grief unites us ... We will not forgive and definitely we will win," said Ekaterina Kolotovkina, chair of the women's council of a local military battalion, according to RIA Novosti.
A memorial ceremony also took place in the neighboring city of Togliatti, where members of the military, representatives of veteran and public organizations, and residents had gathered in the city's Victory Park, the agency reported.