The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) have detained 2 generals and a colonel responsible for the unsuccessful defense of the Kharkiv Region in May 2024.
This is stated in the SSU message on the Telegram channel, the Ukrainian News agency reports.
"The Security Service and SBI, with the assistance of the Minister of Defense and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, documented the crimes of 3 officials of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who failed to provide proper protection of the Kharkiv Region during the enemy offensive in May 2024," the message says.
It is noted that according to the case materials, the persons are a brigadier general who held the position of commander of the Kharkiv Operational and Tactical Troops Group, a lieutenant general who was the commander of the 125th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a colonel who previously headed the 415th Battalion of this formation.
As the investigation established, the officials did not prepare the defense of the border areas of the Kharkiv Region and lost control of the battle during the repeated russian offensive on the regional center.
The persons also violated the requirements of the combat charters when preparing defensive lines in the area of responsibility of the military formations and units of the Kharkiv Operational and Tactical Troops Group.
In addition, during the battle, the officials did not use the entire arsenal of possible measures to repel and stop the aggressor's offensive.
It is noted that this led to the capture of part of the territory of the eastern region of Ukraine, where fierce fighting is currently ongoing.
Specialized examinations initiated by law enforcement officers confirmed the facts of the criminal activity of the persons.
Based on the collected evidence, they were detained and will be reported on suspicion in accordance with the crimes committed under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Part 4 of Article 425 (negligent attitude to military service, committed under martial law); Article 429 (organization of unauthorized abandonment of the battlefield).
The issue of choosing a preventive measure is currently being resolved.
The persons face up to 10 years in prison.
The investigation is ongoing to bring all guilty parties to justice.
In turn, the Prosecutor General's Office reported that the issue of informing the detainees of suspicion is currently being resolved:
- the colonel, who was the commander of the 415th Separate Rifle Battalion, is charged with negligent attitude to military service and unauthorized abandonment of the battlefield (Part 4 of Article 425, Article 429 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine);
- the lieutenant general, who held the position of commander of the 125th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade under the West Operational Command and the brigadier general - the former commander of the Kharkiv Operational and Tactical Troops Group is charged with negligent attitude to military service (Part 4 of Article 425 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine);
Law enforcement officers are not naming the military personnel.
However, according to media reports, this concerns the former commander of the Kharkiv operational-tactical department, Brigadier General Yurii Halushkin, the former commander of the 125th Lviv Brigade of the Territorial Defense, Lieutenant General Artur Horbenko, and the former commander of the 415th Battalion of the 23rd Separate Motorized Brigade, Colonel Illia Lapin.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, in early January, the SSU and the State Bureau of Investigation detained and reported suspicion to the commander of one of the companies of the 155th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Anna Kyivska, who left the place of duty without permission and incited his subordinates to do so.
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