At the beginning of September, a video of the conflict that took place in the center of Smila appeared on Facebook. The video shows a group of athletic young men arguing with a man in military uniform. During a verbal dispute, one of the attackers hits a soldier twice in the face, and when he falls, another participant in the conflict finishes him off with another blow.
Despite the fact that almost a week has passed since the incident, the police have not yet opened a criminal case. The local edition “18000” provided details conflict by revealing the names of some of the participants in the events.
What happened in Smila?
At the end of August, Smila resident Anatoly Goncharenko, a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war, published a post in which he said he was looking for a car with foreign license plates. According to him, the driver of this car created an emergency situation with his parents and had a conflict with them.
Goncharenko, a veteran of the Special Operations Forces, released due to family circumstances, is no longer in the service. His involvement in the war is confirmed by photos and videos on his social media pages documenting his military experience.
The video, which was shared on social networks, shows how an unknown man mocks Honcharenko, forcing him to apologize. It is also seen how a soldier, standing on his knees in the rain, screws license plates to the attacker’s car. It is known that Goncharenko tore these signs from the car he was looking for, which became the reason for the conflict. In addition, it is heard in the video that money could have been demanded from the veteran.
In another video, recorded later, it can be seen that Honcharenko’s face was left with traces of blows.
Who is Vadym Dolotenko?
Local residents quickly identified one of the participants in the conflict as Vadym Dolotenko, known in the city as a semi-criminal element under the nickname “Vadya Sherst”. It was he who hit Honcharenko twice and forced him to apologize to all of Smila. Dolotenko appears in a number of criminal cases related to bodily harm and robbery.
In 2017, he had a conflict with local activist Ilya Slobodyanik, who accused Dolotenko of beatings and threats after criticizing local authorities. The case is still not over, and Dolotenko continues to be involved in other criminal proceedings, including the robbery that took place in 2020.
What is the reaction to the conflict
After the video of Honcharenko’s beating became public, local businessman and deputy Viktor Ovcharenko initiated an extended meeting in Smila City Council. He expressed surprise that the police did not intervene when the soldier was forced to apologize. Ovcharenko emphasized the importance of protecting veterans, noting that a person in military uniform is a symbol of protecting the country.
Zoya Vovk, spokeswoman for the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Cherkasy region, told “18000” that no criminal case has yet been opened due to Honcharenko’s refusal to file a statement. However, she emphasized that the situation may change if Honcharenko changes his decision and submits a second application.
If the actions of the attackers are qualified as causing bodily harm, then the victim’s statement is really needed to open criminal proceedings.
