The 128th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade has confirmed that 19 of its soldiers were killed in a Russian missile strike during an awards ceremony near the frontline on 3 November.
In a Telegram post, the 128th Brigade stated: "A missile strike by the insidious enemy has claimed the lives of 19 soldiers of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade based in Zakarpattia Oblast... Our best fighters were killed... We promise to avenge our brothers-in-arms one hundred times over."
"In his evening address
on 6 November, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Dmytro Lysiuk, the commander of the 128th Brigade, has been suspended from duty until the investigation is completed.
“The entire situation is being examined in detail. It will be determined who specifically violated the safety regulations for people in the area accessible to enemy aerial reconnaissance. There will be no evasion of responsibility, “ Zelenskyy said.
According to an official statement from the Armed Forces of Ukraine Strategic Communications Center (AFU Stratcom), on 3 November, Russian forces shelled 26 settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
“The enemy struck the personnel of the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade with an Iskander-M missile, resulting in the deaths of servicemen. Locals also suffered injuries of varying severity from the attack,” the AFU Stratcom stated on Telegram.
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