Camilla Jessen
An internal investigation is now underway.
A Russian missile strike on May 20 struck a Ukrainian military firing range near the town of Shostka in the Sumy region, killing six Ukrainian National Guard soldiers and injuring at least ten others, Ukrainian officials confirmed.
The attack occurred during a scheduled training exercise, prompting an official investigation into whether safety protocols were followed.
The commander of the unit has been suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry.
“The Command of the National Guard of Ukraine and law enforcement agencies will give a strict legal assessment of the actions of all officials based on the results of the inspection and investigation,” the National Guard said in a public statement.
Command Under Scrutiny
Ukrainian military authorities said that all necessary airstrike safety protocols had previously been issued to commanders, specifically warning against large personnel gatherings in vulnerable areas.
Investigators are now assessing whether these guidelines were properly enforced at the time of the strike.
“During the strike, while training was being conducted at the unit’s firing range, six service members were killed and more than ten were injured,” the statement confirmed.
The National Guard emphasized that it is cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation and offered condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers.
Russia Claims Higher Casualties
The Russian Ministry of Defense later claimed responsibility for the missile strike, asserting that its forces had targeted a training camp belonging to Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces.
In its statement, Russia claimed the attack killed up to 70 soldiers, including 20 instructors, and destroyed ammunition depots and vehicles.
These figures, however, have not been independently verified and far exceed the Ukrainian official casualty count.