Moscow, Jan 9 (IANS): More than 600 of Kiev's troops have been eliminated in a Russian missile strike in the Ukrainian-held city of Kramatorsk in the Donbass, Russia's Defence Ministry has claimed, the media reported.

The bombardment on Sunday was a "retaliation operation" carried out in response to "a criminal attack" by Ukraine on a temporary housing area accommodating Russian servicemen in the city of Makeyevka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) on New Year's night, the ministry said in a statement, RT reported.

Over the past 24 hours, the Russian military has managed to uncover and confirm the location of Ukrainian troops in Kramatorsk in the DPR, the statement read.

This data revealed that dormitory No. 28 in the city was hosting more than 700 Kiev soldiers, with 600 more staying in dormitory No. 47.

"As a result of a massive missile attack on these temporary housing areas of the Ukrainian military's units, more than 600 Ukrainian servicemen were killed," the ministry said, RT reported.

On January 1, at precisely 0:01 a.m., Ukrainian forces targeted a temporary housing area containing Russian troops in the city of Makeyevka.

Six missiles from a US-supplied HIMARS multiple rocket launcher were fired at the building. Two of them were intercepted by Russian air defences, but four made it through, causing massive damage to the facility.

The death toll from the strike has reached 89, according to the Russian Defence Ministry, RT reported.