SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATIONS STAFF, January 4. /TASS/. The use of personal phones by personnel within the enemy armament reach was the main cause of the tragedy in Makeyevka, where 89 Russian servicemen died, First Deputy Head of the Main Military-Political Department of the Russian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Sergey Sevryukov told reporters.

"It has already become obvious at present that the main cause of the occurrence was activation and large-scale use, contrary to the ban, of personal phones by personnel within the reach of enemy’s destruction means. This factor enabled the enemy to take the bearing and determine coordinates of servicemen location to deliver a missile strike. Required measures are being taken at present to exclude such tragic incidents in the future," the General said.

A commission investigating circumstances of the incident is working and required measures are being taken to exclude such tragedies in the future, Sevryukov added.