Russian forces launched a deadly missile strike on a Ukrainian Special Forces training camp in Ukraine’s Sumy region on Tuesday, killing dozens of troops and instructors, according to Ukrainian sources.
Footage of the strike circulated on social media, appearing to show a Russian Iskander ballistic missile hitting the camp during live training exercises. The video, reportedly filmed by a Russian drone, captured both the moment of impact and the aftermath, with the drone seemingly operating with impunity near the border.
Ukrainian officials reported that up to 70 personnel, including 20 instructors, were killed in the attack. The training camp was located near the city of Shostka, only 30 miles (48 km) from the Russian border—an area long considered highly vulnerable due to its proximity to Russian missile systems.
The location of the facility immediately drew criticism from within Ukraine. Several officials and analysts questioned the wisdom of holding large-scale military activities so close to the border, especially given previous incidents.
This is not the first time Ukrainian forces have suffered heavy casualties from border-area strikes. In April, a military gathering at Sumy State University—also roughly 30 miles from the border—was hit by a Russian missile during an awards ceremony, resulting in numerous military and civilian casualties. Last September, a graduation event for drone operators in Poltava, 72 miles (117 km) from the border, was similarly targeted, killing over 50 and injuring nearly 300.
The recurrence of such incidents has intensified criticism of Ukraine's military planning, particularly the placement of high-value personnel and events within range of Russian surveillance and strike capabilities.
Compounding the fallout, tensions are growing within Ukraine’s military leadership. On Monday, Colonel Bohdan Shevchuk, commander of the 59th Brigade of Unmanned Systems, was dismissed after ordering a tactical withdrawal near Pokrovsk to avoid encirclement—an action reportedly taken in defiance of direct orders from Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Syrskii.
According to reports, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office has instructed Syrskii to crack down on public dissent within the officer corps, amid growing dissatisfaction over operational decisions and their consequences on the battlefield.