Monday, June 2, 2025 - Ukrainian Ground Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapaty tendered his resignation on Sunday, June 1, citing a personal sense of responsibility for the deaths of at least 12 soldiers in a Russian missile strike on a training ground. In his resignation letter, Drapaty described the decision as “a deliberate step dictated by my personal sense of responsibility for the tragedy,” which occurred earlier in the day and follows a series of similar deadly strikes in recent months.
The attack came amid escalating military operations between
Ukraine and Russia, as both countries intensify their aerial and ground
assaults. Ukrainian authorities said the strike targeted a military training
facility, killing 12 soldiers, most of whom were reportedly in shelters at the
time, and injuring more than 60 others.
Concurrently, Ukraine claimed it had launched a
“large-scale” drone offensive targeting Russian bombers stationed deep within
Russian territory. According to a source from Ukraine’s SBU security service,
the campaign aimed to damage enemy aircraft far from the frontlines. Targets
reportedly included airbases in Belaya in eastern Siberia, Olenya in the
Arctic, and Ivanovo and Dyagilevo, both located east of Moscow.
The source claimed that over 40 aircraft were damaged at
Belaya, accompanied by fires visible in a video that showed several planes
engulfed in flames and smoke. AFP has not independently verified the footage or
the extent of the reported damage. Russia’s defence ministry confirmed that
some military aircraft caught fire, adding that no casualties were reported and
that several individuals connected to the incident had been detained.
Igor Kobzev, the governor of Russia’s Irkutsk region where
the Belaya base is located, confirmed the drone strike, calling it the first
such incident in Siberia. He urged residents not to panic and shared a video
appearing to show a drone overhead followed by a large smoke cloud. Similarly,
Murmansk regional governor Andrey Chibis reported drone activity and
anti-aircraft response over the Olenya base.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that a
delegation led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov would travel to Istanbul for
talks with Russian officials on Monday. Zelensky identified Ukraine’s
priorities for the meeting as a “complete and unconditional ceasefire” and the
repatriation of prisoners and abducted children. Russia confirmed it would send
a delegation but did not disclose its peace terms, and President Vladimir Putin
dismissed the suggestion of a leader-level summit.
The diplomatic developments unfolded against the backdrop of
continued hostilities. Ukraine’s air force reported that 472 Russian drones and
seven missiles were launched overnight—a record volume since the start of the
invasion. Meanwhile, Russia claimed to have taken control of another village in
Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, amid concerns in Kyiv that Moscow may be
preparing for a broader ground offensive. Ukrainian officials say Russia has
massed over 50,000 troops near the border and that over 200 villages have been
evacuated due to heavy shelling
Inside Russia, two bridge collapses near the Ukrainian
border added to the day’s turmoil. Authorities said a Saturday explosion
brought down a bridge in the Bryansk region, derailing a passenger train bound
for Moscow and killing seven people. Hours later, another blast hit a railway
bridge in the Kursk region, derailing a freight train and injuring the driver.
Russian officials have launched a criminal investigation into what they
described as acts of terrorism but have not formally accused Ukraine of responsibility.
The confluence of military escalation, high-level
resignations, and emerging ceasefire negotiations highlights the deepening
complexity of the conflict as it enters its third year.
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