The Security Intelligence Service began an investigation against 28 commanders in connection with the breakthrough in the Kharkiv region
On May 10, 2024, Russian troops resumed their attack on the Kharkiv region, crossing the state border and occupying ten Ukrainian villages. According to the State Bureau of Investigation, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine up to a company left their combat positions in the areas of the settlements of Strelecha, Krasne, Borysivka, Pylne, Gatishche and others along the border line.
About this it is said in the data of the court register.
In this regard, the Technical Department of the DBR in Poltava seized a number of secret military documents as part of the criminal proceedings opened on the facts of the breakthrough by the occupiers of the state border. The investigation is focused on the actions of the command of the 125th brigade and subordinate units, which, according to the investigation, improperly organized the defense of the positions.
It is noted that according to the data of the pre-trial investigation, on May 10, 2024, in the area of responsibility of the operational-tactical group “Kharkiv”, the operational-strategic group of troops “Khortytsia”, the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the settlements of Strelecha, Krasne, Borysivka, Pylne of Kharkiv district and Gatishche of Chuguyivskyi district of the Kharkiv region, as well as other settlements of the Kharkiv region (along the line of the state border of Ukraine with the Russian Federation), during the enemy’s assault actions, facts of the abandonment of combat positions by units of the Armed Forces took place. In total, the case files contain the names of 28 servicemen (commander of the operational-tactical group, brigade commander, battalion commanders, company commanders, head of the intelligence department of the headquarters), whose involvement is being checked by the SBI.
The 125th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces denies the accusations, claiming that the defense forces were ready for an offensive and no one retreated from their positions.
Currently, a military examination has been appointed as part of the investigation. The same criminal proceedings were opened on May 11, 2024 on the facts of negligent attitude to military service (Part 4 of Article 425 of the Criminal Code) and voluntary abandonment of the battlefield (Article 429 of the Criminal Code). The maximum punishment under these articles is 10 years of imprisonment.
