Loss of observation post in Huliaipole caused by withdrawal of territorial defense unit, actions of commanders checked - Syrskyi

In the Huliaipole sector, Ukrainian troops continue to deter russian attacks, while an episode with the loss of a command and observation post in the city is being investigated.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said this in an interview with Channel 24.

According to him, the russian forces managed to take the post after the fighters of the 102nd Territorial Defense Brigade could not withstand the enemy's pressure and began an organized retreat. This, Syrskyi noted, forced the military leadership to urgently move assault units to Huliaipole, which fought to regain the abandoned positions.

The Commander-in-Chief emphasized that the way the battalion was managed in this situation raises serious questions. According to him, reinforcements from the 5th Assault Brigade were very close by - a few streets away from the command and observation post, but this did not affect the decision to withdraw.

Syrskyi emphasized that the Military Law Enforcement Service is already conducting an investigation, which will give a legal assessment of the actions of the battalion commander. In particular, they are investigating why it was decided to leave the positions despite the order to organize a circular defense and destroy all secret documentation.

"I know they had time [to destroy important items]. The enemy forces there were limited," Syrskyi emphasized.

He also added that the fighting in the area of Huliaipole continues, and the 225th separate assault regiment is currently holding the defense in the city.

What is known about the seizure of the command and observation post in Huliaipole?

It is an incident in Huliaipole, Zaporizhzhia Region, where in mid-December, after the Ukrainian unit left, russian military entered the command and observation post of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' territorial defense battalion and filmed a video inside the premises.

The released footage shows computers, documents, storage media and seals left behind, which caused a wide response. According to the Deep State, the command and observation post belonged to the 1st Battalion of the 106th Territorial Defense Brigade, which was actually subordinated to the 102nd Territorial Defense Brigade. The assault itself, according to them, took place around December 18, and the video was filmed by the russians after the Ukrainian military had left.

Recall that the russian military claimed about the alleged seizure of the command post of one of the territorial defense units in Huliaipole. The Southern Defense Forces reported that they would launch an internal investigation to find out if this information is true.