“Eagle” flew for three days, but lined up without shelter: testimony of wounded soldiers after missile attack at the training ground
4 March 2025 18:13
EXCLUSIVE
The lack of shelters, the critical situation at the training grounds, and the status of the dead in the Dnipropetrovs’k region. After the Russian Iskander strike on the location of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, a number of questions arose about security violations. After all, the tragedy showed that the soldiers had no shelter, let alone were able to observe enemy reconnaissance drones for several days. Why was no shelter provided for the military during the exercises? Why was there an insufficient response to alarms and possible threats from enemy drones? Read more in "Komersant Ukrainian" article about what the eyewitnesses of the tragedy who managed to survive have to say.
One of the soldiers who survived the shelling at the training ground, speaking exclusively to 
on condition of anonymity, says that he was saved by a phone call that forced him to move away from the center of the attack.
“We had formation three times a day. “An Eagle flew overhead for three days. We were all NWOs who had returned voluntarily to continue their service in the Armed Forces. But we had not yet been assigned to combat units, that is, we were not officially part of any unit,” the soldier said
He adds that, despite their participation in the combat capability of the Ukrainian army, many of his comrades were wounded or killed after the shelling, and this affected their payments and compensation, as they were not recognized as part of official combat units.
“After being wounded, I was personally taken to the hospital. I have a shrapnel wound, they treated it. There are many serious ones,” the soldier added.
Another soldier, call sign “Hutsul,” who also survived the attack, recalls how his group was lined up at about 15:00. He told this to Suspilne.
“When we were standing in line, I saw a Russian drone. Then there were four explosions,” said Hutsul.
According to ‘Hutsul’, there was no shelter near the training ground, and this greatly complicated the situation. After the explosions, the soldier helped other soldiers, but was injured by shrapnel.
Another mother of one of the soldiers who survived the shelling shared with journalists her conversation with her son.
“I asked him: when there is an air raid, are you ordered to hide? And he replied: ‘We have nowhere to hide. We have no shelter’. Only a trench, and that’s it,” the woman says.
Another soldier who was at the training ground on the same day also talks about the lack of shelters.
“They didn’t drive us out during the alert, they just stopped shooting, that’s all,” the soldier said anonymously.
Obviously, these testimonies call into question the readiness to protect the personnel of the Armed Forces during the exercises in open areas where there was no shelter and the response to air raids left much to be desired.
What is known about the number of dead and injured
The total number of casualties as a result of the Russian army’s missile strike on the training ground in the Samara (formerly Novomoskovsk) district of Dnipro region is about 130 people, including more than 30 dead. This information was voiced by journalist Yuriy Butusov during a stream on his YouTube channel.
In his commentary, Butusov said that the attack was carried out by Russian troops on the training center of the Operational Command “East” of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to him, the 168th Reserve Battalion, which consists mainly of soldiers who have returned from service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, is stationed at the training ground in the village of Cherkaske. They left their units without permission and stayed in a cluster of tarpaulin tents at the training ground for almost two months.
“We all knew that enemy drones could strike, but this time it happened unnoticed,” Butusov said
Also criticizing the military leadership for not paying enough attention to security, Butusov said that the death toll could reach 39 people, given the new data. At the moment, rescue operations are underway at the training ground, and the situation is being studied to assess the extent of the damage and the threat to other units of the Armed Forces.
It is known that on March 4, the Dnipropetrovs’k region said goodbye to soldier Denys Konovalov, who died as a result of a strike on the training ground during an attack by Russian troops.
Denys was a rifleman in the security unit. The funeral ceremony was attended by the family, friends and comrades-in-arms of the deceased, Suspilne correspondents report. As a result of the shelling that occurred on March 2, Denys received numerous injuries. Doctors fought for his life for eight hours, but unfortunately, on March 2, his heart stopped.
“He was a true hero. Always ready to support, help and defend the country. His courage and self-sacrifice inspire us all,” said his comrades-in-arms during the farewell ceremony.
Denys’s death was a heavy loss for his family and the military with whom he served. Dedication to his work and defense of Ukraine were his main values.
“Commanders did not take into account the threat” – Malomuzh
Former Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Army General Mykola Malomuzh, in a commentary for the YouTube channel “News Factory,” emphasized that the responsibility for the tragedy lies with the commanders who made critical mistakes in ensuring security.
“I want to be clear about the situation: this is the responsibility of the commanders on the ground, who, frankly, relaxed. The command should have taken into account not only the battle line but also the security in the rear,” said Mykola Malomuzh.
The general noted that in this situation, all the necessary measures were not taken to detect enemy drones, as well as to counteract gunners and spies, which is a violation of basic security principles.
“This is not a battle line, this is the rear, and in such a situation, all means and measures to detect the air threat, spies and gunners must work in a comprehensive manner. They were not involved,” Malomuzh explained, emphasizing the problems with coordination between units.
He also emphasized that this is not the first time that Ukrainian troops have suffered losses due to the lack of proper protection in the rear.
“At the front, when there was no coordination between the troops, the enemy used our weaknesses by inflicting targeted attacks. This happened here as well, when the military did not provide proper protection,” said Mykola Malomuzh.
Malomuzh believes that one of the key problems is the lack of shelters at the training grounds. “If we are talking about training centers, they should be really protected. These are dugouts, concrete fortifications that allow the military to quickly move to safe positions, the general emphasized. Mykola Malomuzh also noted that it is necessary to change the approach to security planning, as the concentration of military in one place – whether on the parade ground, in the field or in the city – is extremely dangerous and can become an easy target for the enemy.
In general, Mykola Malomuzh believes that the military leadership should seriously reconsider its approach to security and respond promptly to potential threats to avoid similar tragedies in the future.
Reaction of senior military and political leadership
The lack of protection for the military during the exercises was also confirmed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine , Oleksandr Syrskyi. He initiated an inspection to determine whether the training grounds had complied with the ban on deploying personnel in open areas. Syrsky also ordered to check the fulfillment of tasks related to the organization of training in buried and protected structures.
“As far as I know, all safety requirements were not met at the training ground, in particular with regard to shelters. I initiated an investigation and check of all training conditions,” Syrsky said.
on March 3, the Commander of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykhailo Drapaty officially commented on the tragedy at the training ground that occurred a few days ago. He explained that he was waiting for the first data to avoid unfounded statements.
“I personally follow every step of the investigation. Everyone who made decisions that day, as well as those who did not make them on time, will be held accountable. No one will hide behind explanations or formal reports,” Drapaty said.
He also emphasized that although there may be an attempt to hide the truth under the cover of bureaucratic procedures, he personally will not allow it.
“I foresee that they will try to hide the truth in the fog of bureaucracy, but I will not allow it,” the commander emphasized.
The tragedy at the training ground in Dnipropetrovs’k region was a serious blow to the Ukrainian armed forces, not only because of the numerous casualties, but also because of the security issues during the exercises. The lack of proper shelters and incomplete preparedness for the threat from the enemy revealed serious shortcomings in the organization of training and the security of personnel. Official statements from the military leadership indicate their intention to investigate the circumstances of the tragedy and to punish those who failed to fulfill their duties in due time. However, the problem is more global.
