Ukrainian soldiers tragically lose their lives in celebration incident
Ukrainian media outlets have reported a recent rocket attack conducted by Russians on a frontline village in the Zaporizhia region. Tragically, it appears this resulted in the loss of more than 20 Ukrainian soldiers from the 128th separate mountain Zakarpattia storm brigade. It's believed that the soldiers were engaged in celebrations dedicated to the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery when the attack occurred. The incident happened amidst escalating tensions in Ukraine.
4:18 PM EST, November 5, 2023
This deadly strike upon Ukrainian soldiers happened on Friday during the Missile Force Day celebrations. The Ukrainian Pravda portal has sourced information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine stating that the attack claimed the lives of over 20 soldiers of the Ukrainian armed forces.
Sources within the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as referred by public broadcaster Suspilne, have also confirmed the shelling.
Celebrations turned into a fatal attack on Ukrainian soldiers
A recording related to the unfortunate incident has been published on social media. It features one of the officers from the 128th brigade stationed in the Zaporizhia region discussing the tragedy.
A formal gathering, decorous awarding, and a rocket attack from Russia
A high-ranking official from the brigade shared that the leadership had decided to hold a formal gathering and distribute honors in one of the frontline villages. Tragically, a substantial part of the military personnel as well as several civilians lost their lives due to Russian shelling.
The incident was indirectly confirmed by the head of the Zakarpattia region, Viktor Mikita. He urged residents to refrain from hosting entertainment events in the coming days to respectfully honor the memory of the fallen soldiers. He did not delve into the specifics of their deaths.
The Ukrainian media have announced that the General Staff of Ukraine has declined to provide comment on the incident.
Ukraine is currently undergoing escalating tensions. The media question who will be held accountable for the attack.