Lieutenant General Mikhail Drapatiy, the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, has announced his resignation following a tragic incident at the 239th training ground, where soldiers lost their lives. He emphasized that this decision was made out of a sense of personal responsibility.

Drapatiy shared his decision on social media, describing it as a «conscious step» stemming from the tragedy that occurred at the training ground.

«I have decided to submit my resignation report, as I feel responsible for the loss of our soldiers», he stated in his message.

The commander acknowledged that he could not fully ensure the execution of his orders and accepted his responsibility for the tragic outcomes. «This is my responsibility», he stressed.

According to Drapatiy, the primary responsibility for the lives of soldiers always lies with the command. He condemned the culture of impunity within the military, referring to it as «poison for the army».

«We cannot afford to live in a system that does not learn. Without personal responsibility, there is no development; without development, there is no victory», he added.

Drapatiy reported that as a result of the shelling, 12 soldiers from the training battalion were killed, and there were injuries. Most of the deceased were in shelters. «They were supposed to learn, live, and fight — not die», he expressed, extending condolences to the families of the fallen.

The general also initiated a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy, including the actions of commanders, the state of shelters, and the alert systems.

It is worth noting that Mikhail Drapatiy became the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in 2024. Prior to this, he held several command positions, including deputy commander of the Operational Command «South» and commanded troops in combat zones.