Law enforcement officials have apprehended the former commander of the 155th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine named after Anna Kyivska, who allowed mass desertion among his subordinates, particularly during training abroad. According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Ukrainian special service and the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) detained the military officer with the assistance of the Minister of Defense and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"It has been established that the commander failed to inform law enforcement agencies about a significant number of soldiers who left their places of service without authorization during the unit’s training on the territory of the European Union, as well as during the execution of combat tasks on the eastern front," the special service stated.
Currently, law enforcement is investigating information regarding the presence of corrupt schemes within the brigade related to the selection of servicemen for training abroad. Information is also being checked regarding possible "schemes" through which military personnel may have evaded their duties in exchange for bribes.
The investigation continues to establish all circumstances surrounding the crime and other individuals who may be involved in the offenses.
According to the DBR, the colonel had information over the past year about the mass desertion in his brigade - the command staff of the military unit reported this to him repeatedly both orally and in written reports. This concerns not only desertion but also the failure of subordinates to return from leaves, business trips, and sick leaves.
"However, the commander, contrary to the requirements of the law, did not inform the investigative authorities about the identified facts. Due to the commander's actions, law enforcement could not initiate a legal procedure for locating and returning servicemen to their military units and reserve battalions, or in some cases, ensure they served their sentences for committed crimes," the statement read.
It has been established that some soldiers periodically left their posts without authorization, then returned, only to repeat the act. Additionally, the commander did not take other preventive measures to eliminate the causes and conditions that contributed to desertion. In particular, the colonel unjustifiably included men who were not motivated to serve in the military on the list of individuals planned for training in France.
Among them were individuals against whom warnings and prohibitions existed in orders and directives from higher authorities. Specifically, this includes 22 servicemen who were conscripted from border regions, but their place of registration is in other areas. Furthermore, there are 15 soldiers who attempted to flee Ukraine before mobilization - they were held administratively responsible for attempting to illegally cross the state border outside of designated checkpoints.
"As a result, 56 servicemen of the brigade left the training grounds in France without authorization," the DBR stated.
It is reported that due to the actions of the former brigade commander, which led to a lack of personnel, the Armed Forces of Ukraine faced challenges in fulfilling their defense functions and carrying out specific combat tasks. The prestige and authority of both the military unit and the Defense Forces as a whole have been undermined, and the combat readiness of the unit has been reduced, among other consequences.
According to the DBR, the former brigade commander will be transported to Kyiv. He is being prepared to receive a notice of suspicion under part 4 of Article 426 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (inaction of military authority committed under martial law). The military officer faces up to 10 years in prison.
What is known about the scandal in the 155th Brigade
Recall that the 155th Brigade equipped with "Leopards" "collapsed" before reaching the front. It was supposed to reinforce the troops in Pokrovsk, which was targeted by the Russians. Nominally, the brigade was expected to have over 5,800 servicemen, making it one of the largest in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
However, according to media reports, around 1,700 servicemen deserted the brigade while it underwent training in Ukraine, Poland, and France for 9 months.