Russians strike on the military training ground in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast killed 39 and approximately 90 injured

On March 1, 2025, Russian forces launched a devastating missile strike on a Ukrainian military training ground in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, targeting a unit of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. The attack, confirmed by Ukraine’s Ground Forces Command, involved an Iskander-M ballistic missile equipped with a cluster warhead, striking the facility in the village of Cherkaske, near the city of Dnipro, approximately 100-130 kilometers from the front line. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed the strike hit the Novomoskovsk training ground, where soldiers from the 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade were undergoing exercises, alleging significant casualties, including up to 150 troops and 30 foreign instructors. Ukrainian authorities acknowledged fatalities and casualties but have not released specific figures, with Ground Forces Commander Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi expressing personal anguish and vowing a thorough investigation into the incident.

The strike has sparked outrage and prompted swift action from Ukrainian military leadership. General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, suspended the head of the training center and the commander of the targeted military unit pending a comprehensive investigation led by the Military Law Enforcement Service. Volunteer Serhii Sternenko reported that the attack was guided by a Russian reconnaissance UAV, which went undetected due to deficiencies in Ukraine’s air defense systems in the eastern sector, specifically criticizing the Air Command East for poor drone-based air defense implementation. The Ukrainian State Bureau of Investigation has also opened a criminal case to establish the full circumstances and hold those responsible accountable, amid calls for improved safety protocols and accountability for what Drapatyi described as a “tragedy” resulting from unlearned lessons and bureaucratic failures.

This incident underscores the ongoing vulnerability of Ukrainian rear positions to Russian precision strikes and the challenges of maintaining effective air defenses far from the front line. The attack’s timing, coinciding with Zelensky’s diplomatic efforts in London with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, highlights the war’s relentless pace and Russia’s intent to disrupt Ukrainian military preparations. While Russian sources celebrated the strike’s success, Ukrainian officials and commentators have pointed to systemic issues—such as outdated procedures and inadequate drone countermeasures—as contributing factors, fueling a broader debate about military readiness and leadership accountability as the conflict nears its third anniversary.

Russia is trying to breach the border in Sumy Oblast and cut off Ukraine's Kursk logistics routes- Border Guard

Russian forces are trying to break through the Russia-Ukraine border in Sumy Oblast to cut off Ukrainian troops from supply routes, State Border Guard spokesperson Andrii Demchenko reported on March 3.

After a failed attempt near Novenke last week, Russia continues sending assault groups into the region, using large numbers of troops and equipment from Kursk Oblast. Ukrainian forces are actively countering these efforts to prevent Russian units from gaining a foothold.

Ukraine's cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast last summer disrupted Russian offensives but has since seen Russian troops regain 64% of the territory. Russian casualties in the region have reached nearly 40,000, including over 16,000 killed, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.

Ukraine's intelligence reports that Russia plans large-scale drone attacks on Ukraine using up to 500 UAVs at once

Russia is ramping up drone production and preparing for large-scale attacks on Ukraine, according to Major General Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence.

"If Russian commanders achieve their plans for the first half of the year, they will be capable of launching approximately 500 drones in a single strike," Skibitskyi revealed in an interview with RBC Ukraine.

He noted that Russia is not only increasing the number of UAVs it can launch simultaneously but also expanding its network of launch sites.

"Their targets remain unchanged: they continue to strike at Ukraine's command and control centers, airfields, energy infrastructure, and defense industry," Skibitskyi explained.

He highlighted a worrying trend in Russia’s tactics. "Recently, they have been deliberately attacking our gas transmission system and fields. The goal is clear—to deprive Ukraine of its own energy resources," he said. "Their attacks are no longer random; they are meticulously planned to cause maximum destruction."

His warning comes after a massive Russian drone attack on March 2-3, when 83 Shahed drones and decoy UAVs were launched from Russian regions including Oryol, Kursk, Millerovo, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk. Ukraine managed to down 46 of them.

Skibitskyi also stressed that Russia is actively working to increase the number of launch sites for these drones, making future attacks even harder to predict and defend against.