Russian missiles struck a military awards ceremony on Saturday, killing and wounding elite Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. Operational Task Force East confirmed the attack, and the State Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe into whether air-raid procedures and sheltering were properly followed. Named victims include Volodymyr Sviatnenko, 43, and photographer-soldier Kostiantyn Huzenko; four civilians, including children aged 11 and 14, were also killed and six people injured. The strike occurred amid intensified Russian efforts around Pokrovsk in Donetsk.
Russian Missile Strike on Military Awards Ceremony Kills Elite Ukrainian Soldiers and Civilians
Russian missiles struck a military awards ceremony on Saturday, killing and wounding elite Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. Operational Task Force East confirmed the attack, and the State Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe into whether air-raid procedures and sheltering were properly followed. Named victims include Volodymyr Sviatnenko, 43, and photographer-soldier Kostiantyn Huzenko; four civilians, including children aged 11 and 14, were also killed and six people injured. The strike occurred amid intensified Russian efforts around Pokrovsk in Donetsk.
22:20, 04.11.2025Conflict
Missile strike hits military awards ceremony
Russian missiles struck a military awards ceremony on Saturday, killing and wounding elite Ukrainian servicemen and civilians, Ukrainian officials and local sources said. The attack, confirmed by Ukraine’s Operational Task Force East, struck personnel gathered in open terrain on a parade ground.
Casualties and named victims
It remains unclear how many soldiers were killed in the strike. Family members and independent sources identified victims including Volodymyr Sviatnenko, 43, an elite drone operator with the 35th Separate Marine Brigade, and Kostiantyn Huzenko, a photographer and serviceman attached to the same brigade. Governor Vladyslav Haivanenko reported that the strike also killed four civilians in nearby villages, including an 11-year-old and a 14-year-old, and wounded six others.
"He and his comrades were gathered on the parade ground to be awarded. They gathered the best... In open terrain. Ballistics flew in. The story of negligence repeated itself," wrote Dmytro Sviatnenko, the brother of Volodymyr, on Facebook.
Investigation and context
Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has opened a probe to determine whether air-raid procedures were followed and whether adequate shelter was provided during the alert. The inquiry will examine whether safety protocols or negligence contributed to the deaths.
Observers note that Russian forces have previously targeted gatherings of Ukrainian soldiers at similar ceremonies. In November 2023, a strike on an awards event in Zaporizhzhia killed 19 Ukrainian soldiers; President Volodymyr Zelensky said that tragedy "could have been avoided."
Operational picture
The attack comes amid intensified Russian operations in eastern Ukraine, including persistent pressure on Pokrovsk in Donetsk — a key logistical hub Moscow has sought to capture for more than a year. Russia claimed advances in the city on Monday, while Kyiv said its units, including elite special forces, remain in position. Maps from the Institute for the Study of War indicate Russian units are attempting pincer movements toward the city's outskirts.
Seizing Pokrovsk could enable further Russian advances across the Donbas; such a gain would be the most significant territorial achievement for Moscow since it captured Avdiivka early last year.
Credit: Ukrainian military via Reuters