Ukrainian Land Forces Commander resigns after Russian attack that killed 12 soldiers on training grounds

The head of the Land Forces of Ukraine resigned on June 1 following a Russian attack that killed 12 service members under his command.

“I have made the decision to file a letter of resignation from the position of Commander of the Land Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi in a statement on Telegram.

“Twelve dead. There are injured. These are young lads from the training battalion. Most of them were in shelters. They should have learned, lived, and fought – not died."

Drapatyi was referring to an incident in the morning of June 1 in which a Russian missile attack struck a training field and killed 12 soldiers and wounded 60 more. The field was at the time unidentified, but Drapatiy named it as the 239th Polygon, north of the city of Dnipro.

Russia has targeted Ukrainian training grounds aggressively in recent months. The 239th Polygon was also the site of a similar attack with an Iskander ballistic missile in March.

At the time, Drapatyi wrote: “Everyone who made decisions that day, and everyone who did not make them on time, will be held accountable. No one will hide behind explanations or formal reports."

In its announcement of the June 1 attack, the Land Forces press office wrote: “In the event of a determination that the action or inaction of responsible individuals led to the death and injury of servicemen, those responsible will be brought to strict accountability."

12 Ukrainian soldiers dead, 60 injured after Russian missile strike on training center

A statement on the attack did not identify the location of the training grounds, nor the specific type of missile used by Russia.

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk