High Ukrainian Military Commander Quits After Lethal Base Strike Kills 12

Main Common Mykhailo Drapatyi, commander of Ukraine’s land forces, tendered his resignation on Sunday, taking duty for a deadly Russian missile strike on a Ukrainian navy coaching facility that resulted within the deaths of 12 troopers and accidents to 60 others, based on a Reuters report.

Drapatyi, who has led Ukraine’s wartime land military since November final yr, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy on the 239th coaching floor. Writing on Fb, he mentioned, “These are younger guys from a coaching battalion. Most of them have been in shelters. They have been supposed to check, stay, struggle – not die.” He prolonged his deepest condolences to the households of the victims and people affected.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned that he had known as a gathering to look at the incident and would summon senior commanders, together with prime commander Oleksandr Syrskyi, as soon as Defence Minister Rustem Umerov returns from talks with Russian negotiators in Turkey.

Zelenskiy emphasised the important have to protect all frontline personnel, saying, “Each life have to be preserved. All choices wanted to do that shall be adopted,” following a lethal missile strike on a Ukrainian navy “tent camp” within the central Dniepropetrovsk area.

The Russian navy confirmed the strike amid rising tensions after the Russian Defence Ministry accused the Kiev regime of coordinated terrorist assaults utilizing FPV drones on a number of Russian airfields.

In response to the ministry, a number of Russian airfields within the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur areas have been focused within the drone strikes. Whereas assaults on airfields in Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur have been reportedly repelled with out main harm, a number of plane caught fireplace in Murmansk and Irkutsk areas after drones launched from areas close to the airbases. The fires have been introduced beneath management and no casualties have been reported amongst navy or civilian personnel. The ministry additionally famous that some people concerned within the assaults had been detained.

Amid the navy escalations, diplomatic efforts proceed. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held talks with Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov relating to methods to finish the continuing battle. Each side are set to take part in a second spherical of direct negotiations in Istanbul on Monday, the place Ukrainian representatives are anticipated to current new proposals.

The diplomatic contact between Rubio and Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov got here as Ukraine and Russia performed among the largest drone assaults for the reason that conflict started practically three years in the past.

A second spherical of direct peace talks is scheduled to happen in Istanbul on Monday, with Ukrainian negotiators set to current new proposals to Russian representatives.

The diplomatic developments come as combating continues to rage throughout a number of fronts, with each Ukraine and Russia conducting intensive drone campaigns in opposition to one another’s territory.

The Istanbul talks symbolize probably the most important diplomatic engagement between the opponents in latest months, although earlier negotiation makes an attempt have failed to supply lasting agreements.