Dozens of Ukrainian soldiers feared dead after a missile attack on officers' barracks while they slept, say witnesses

Dozens of Ukrainian soldiers are feared to have been killed after a Russian strike on army barracks in the southern city of Mykolaiv on Friday.

The barracks is believed to have been hit by six rockets and around 200 troops are believed to have been sleeping inside.

At least 50 bodies have been pulled out, but we don't know how many remain under the debris.

A soldier told the news agency that as many as 100 people could have been killed.

The rescuer told Agence France-Presse that it was impossible to know if the bodies were still alive.

Distressing images on social media showed dead soldiers being pulled from the ruins of the barracks.

A soldier was saved after a journalist heard sounds from within the debris and rescuers used their bare hands to dig through the rubble to find him.

—Arthur Kharytonov (@ArthurKei_UA) March 19, 2022

It is feared that there are not many survivors as temperatures in Mykolaiv reached -21F last night.

In a video, the governor and the head of the regional administration criticized the Russian attack.

Kim said that the orcs hit the sleeping soldiers with a rocket in a "cowardly" manner.

Insider reported last week that the Russian forces were attacking the stronghold of Mykolaiv in order to gain access to the Black Sea port city of Odesa, which they hope to cut off from the sea.

The Russian troops were pushed out of Mykolaiv earlier this week, according to the mayor's press secretary.

The British defense ministry claimed on Saturday that Russia is now pursuing a strategy of attrition, as it has failed to achieve its original objectives in Ukraine.

The indiscriminate use of firepower is likely to result in increased civilian casualties, destruction of Ukrainian infrastructure, and intensify the humanitarian crisis, according to the department.