The Supreme Court of Ukraine passed a decision confirming the formal nature of the crime of disobeying a serviceman. This means that criminal responsibility for refusing to comply with an order arises regardless of whether the disobedience led to specific negative consequences.
This is reported by the press service VS.
The decision was made in the case of a senior contract soldier sentenced to 5 years in prison for refusing to comply with the order of the deputy brigade commander. The defense argued that the refusal did not cause serious consequences, but the Supreme Court emphasized that insubordination undermines military discipline and combat readiness, which is sufficient grounds for punishment.
The judges emphasized that disobedience, especially under martial law, is a serious crime that threatens the country’s defense capabilities. Even in the absence of obvious negative consequences, this behavior of a serviceman undermines the foundations of military discipline and can lead to unforeseen consequences in the future.
