Today, September 24, Russian forces carried out a combined strike on the territory of one of the training units of the Ukrainian Army’s Ground Forces. Among the weapons used were two “Iskander” ballistic missiles. Despite the safety measures taken, it was not possible to fully avoid casualties among personnel; emergency services are working at the scene, and the wounded are receiving prompt medical assistance.
The Ground Forces Command did not specify which center was hit, but monitoring channels indicate it was the “Desna” facility in Chernihiv region.
This is not the first time training facilities in Chernihiv region have come under fire. On May 17, 2022, an airstrike on the village of Desna, where the Armed Forces training center is located, killed 87 people, as reported by the President of Ukraine; it was one of the deadliest single incidents since the start of the full-scale war.
At the end of July 2025, the Ground Forces reported a strike on the territory of one of the training units that left three people dead and 18 wounded; a number of Ukrainian media outlets indicated that the target was in Chernihiv region and that two “Iskander” missiles were used.
Also in August 2025, local outlets reported a nighttime ballistic missile strike on a training center in Chernihiv region that caused deaths and injuries.
According to the command, in order to preserve the lives and health of personnel, “there is ongoing work to equip training centers, ranges and other military facilities with reliable shelters, as well as additional safety measures during enemy missile and air attacks.”