On Sunday, 1 June, Russian forces launched a missile attack on the location of one of the training units of the Ukrainian Army. As a result of the strike, Ukrainian servicemen were killed and wounded.
As of 12:50 a.m., there are 12 dead and more than 60 wounded. This was reported by the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the command, there were no formations or mass gatherings during the alert – most of the personnel were in shelters. The injured are currently receiving qualified medical care.
“We emphasise that there were no formations or mass gatherings of personnel. After the air raid alert was announced, most of the personnel stayed in shelters. The injured are being provided with all the necessary qualified medical care,” the Land Forces emphasised.
A special commission has been established to investigate the causes and circumstances of the incident, and an internal investigation has been ordered. The command of the Eastern Operational Command is also cooperating with law enforcement agencies.
“If it is established that the deaths and injuries of the servicemen were caused by the actions or inaction of officials, the perpetrators will be brought to strict responsibility,” the command added.
After 4 p.m., the Commander of the Land Forces, Mykhaylo Drapatyy, announced that he had submitted his resignation in connection with the attack on the 239th training ground. Below is the full text of his statement:
“I have decided to submit my resignation from the post of Commander of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is a deliberate step dictated by my personal sense of responsibility for the tragedy at the 239th training ground, which resulted in the deaths of our soldiers.
As a commander, I failed to fully ensure the execution of my orders. I did not press, did not convince, did not change the attitude to the man in the ranks. This is my responsibility.
The behaviour of the soldiers matters, but the main responsibility always lies with the command. It is the commanders who set the rules, make decisions and are responsible for the consequences.
Mutual responsibility and impunity are poison for the army. I tried to eradicate it from the Land Forces. But if tragedies happen again, it means that my efforts were not enough.
We have no right to live in a system that does not learn. If we do not draw conclusions, change our attitude to service, and admit our mistakes, we are doomed. Without personal responsibility, there is no development. Without development, there is no victory.
An army in which commanders are personally responsible for people’s lives is alive. An army where no one is responsible for a loss is dying from within.
Twelve dead. There are wounded. These are young men from a training battalion. Most of them were in shelters. They were supposed to study, live, fight – not die. My deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to all those who were injured.
I have initiated a review of all the circumstances of the tragedy: the actions of the commanders, the condition of the shelters, and the effectiveness of the warning systems. We are providing assistance to all the victims. But no inspection will bring back those we have lost.
We will not win this war unless we build an army where honour is not a word, but an action. Where responsibility is not a punishment, but the basis of trust. Where every commander is responsible every day – for an order, for a decision, for a person.”