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.
The Ukrainian command has disclosed neither the exact number of casualties nor the specific locations and circumstances. However, Russian military bloggers claim that it happened in the village of Dymytrove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, resulting in the deaths of 30 Ukrainian soldiers.
According to Ruslan Kaganets, the commander of the “Sonechko” volunteer battalion, this tragedy should have been avoided.
“On Day of Rocket Artillery and Engineering Forces of Ukraine, personnel from the 128th Brigade gathered for an awards ceremony in a frontline area. They lined up in formation. The Russians struck, resulting in a pile of dead officers and soldiers,” wrote Ruslan Kaganets on Facebook.
This tragedy has sparked outrage on social media, with users expressing their concerns about assembling military personnel in a frontline village, considering the constant shelling by Russian forces.
Ukrainian authorities have yet to comment on the situation, but Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov has expressed condolences and promised an investigation.
The 128th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade is based in Zakarpattia Oblast, where a three-day mourning period has been declared. The Brigade participated in the liberation of Kherson, fought near Bakhmut, and returned to the Zaporizhzhia Oblast at the beginning of 2023. In June, they liberated the villages of Lobkove and Piatykhatky. The Brigade’s insignia features an Edelweiss flower.
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