Ukrainian Ground Forces commander resigns after deadly Russian strike on training camp

Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi announced on Sunday that he had submitted his resignation as commander of Ukraine’s Ground Forces.

“This is a deliberate decision, driven by my personal sense of responsibility for the tragedy at the 239th training ground, which claimed the lives of our soldiers,” he wrote in a post on Facebook.

Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian military reported that a Russian missile strike had hit one of the Ground Forces’ training units in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Twelve service members were killed, and more than 60 others were wounded.

“As commander, I failed to fully ensure the execution of my orders. I didn’t press hard enough, didn’t persuade, didn’t change how people in the ranks are treated. That is my responsibility,” Drapatyi wrote.

He added that he had launched a review of the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the actions of commanders, the condition of protective shelters, and the effectiveness of alert systems.

“We will not win this war unless we build an army where honor is not just a word, but an action. Where responsibility is not punishment, but the foundation of trust. Where every commander is accountable — every day — for their orders, their decisions, and their people,” he wrote.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had carried out a strike on June 1, targeting a tent camp in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. According to the ministry, the strike hit the tent encampment of the 158th and 33rd separate mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at the Novomoskovsk training ground.