Twelve soldiers and seven civilians were killed when Russian missiles and drones struck the gathering in the Dnipropetrovsk region on November 1, the General Prosecutor’s Office said in Kyiv on Saturday. Additionally, 36 soldiers were injured.

According to the State Investigation Bureau, the commander will be held criminally liable for his actions.

The extent of the incident had not been publicly reported until now. Typically, the authorities do not disclose the number of soldiers killed.

This is not the first violation of its kind under the martial law that prohibits such gatherings.

Investigators said the officer had assembled the soldiers for an awards ceremony in an area with a civilian population. During the celebration, Russian troops reportedly attacked with two ballistic missiles and three drones.

Even after the air raid siren went off, the commander did not immediately end the ceremony and disperse the troops, investigations revealed.