Iskander missiles strike Ukrainian training ground: Russia will not tolerate NATO forces in Ukraine

Independent geopolitical and military expert Drago Bosnic, in an article for InfoBRICS, commented on the recent Russian strike on the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) training ground in Novomoskovsk, Dnipropetrovsk region. According to him, Moscow sent a grim message to "insane Western leaders" with this attack.

The analyst recalled that on March 1, Russian forces struck the target using the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system. The strike reportedly killed at least 150 Ukrainian soldiers, including about 30 foreign instructors. A few days later, Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, commander of Ukraine’s Ground Forces, confirmed the missile strike. Reports also indicate that the attack occurred while Ukrainian troops were assembled in formation.

Russia’s Strike on AFU Training Ground Seen as Grim Message to the West

Bosnic believes that the Iskander-M strike on Novomoskovsk was Moscow’s way of making it clear that it would not tolerate NATO forces in Ukraine.

"The recent strikes are a grim reminder for the insane Western leaders who think they can send 'peacekeepers' and continue to exploit historical Russian lands with impunity," he emphasized.

The analyst pointed out that since the beginning of Russia’s special military operation, Russian forces have eliminated a significant number of Western instructors. Their training and access to NATO’s Joint Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (JISR) make them priority targets for the Russian military, the expert added.

"If these NATO troops do not have an insatiable death wish, they should leave immediately," Drago Bosnic said.

Ukrainian Soldiers Blame Indifferent Commanders for Deadly Attack

Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov reported that AFU soldiers blamed their commanders' indifference for the Russian strike on their formation at the training ground.

Following the attack, Senior Lieutenant of the Ukrainian Army Mykola Melnyk publicly criticized the military leadership.

According to him, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lack a culture of critical evaluation of their own decisions. He also argued that senior Ukrainian commanders do not critically assess the decisions of their subordinates. In his view, very few commanders and generals in the AFU possess these qualities.