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Ukrainian Prosecutors Arrest Battalion Officer After Russian Strike Killed 19 During Ceremony

By RFE/RL November 09, 2025

Ukrainian prosecutors ordered the arrest of a battalion commander after a Russian air strike hit troops at a ceremonial gathering, killing at least 19 people.

The incident, which occurred on November 1, is one of several in recent years where officers have held gatherings or ceremonies that have then been targeted by Russia.

In a statement released on November 8, the Prosecutor-General's Office said the commander of a drone unit arranged the ceremony at a location in the Dnipropetrovsk region, ordering soldiers to attend. Relatives were also in attendance.

Russia then hit the event with drones and two ballistic missiles, killing 12 soldiers and seven civilians, prosecutors said. Another 36 soldiers were wounded.

The officer was charged with negligence and ordered held in pre-trial detention, officials said.

Ukrainian commanders have sought to ban such public gatherings, particularly after widespread outrage following a similar incident in November 2023 that killed 19 soldiers.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-officer-negligence- ceremony-soldiers-killed-russia/33585481.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.