After the publication of a material by the publication “Ukrainskaya Pravda“, revealing facts about extortion and bullying of servicemen in the 211th Pontoon-Bridge Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), the Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrsky, took decisive measures, reports Focus.
The commander of the brigade in question, Oleg Poberezhnyuk, was temporarily suspended from his post while the official investigation is ongoing.
Official position of the General Staff
A statement published by the press service of the General Staff on social networks emphasizes:
„On December 16, the media published material highlighting possible abuses in the 211th Pontoon-Bridge Brigade. By decision of the commander-in-chief, a commission from the Military Law Enforcement Service was sent to the military unit. For the duration of the investigation, the commander of the unit has been temporarily suspended. We will provide additional information after the investigation is completed.“
Role of Ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets
In response to the revelations, the Verkhovna Rada Ombudsman for Human Rights Dmitry Lubinets stated on Telegram:
„An investigation is underway, criminal proceedings have been initiated, and personnel decisions will be made after the court's decision.“
Personal commitment of the Ombudsman: Lyubinets emphasized that he would monitor the situation personally and was outraged by the revealed abuses, stating:
“Such a shameful phenomenon should not exist.“
Previous audits and criminal proceedings
The General Staff noted that in September this year an internal audit had already been conducted on some of the issues mentioned. The collected materials were then handed over to the competent authorities, and criminal proceedings were subsequently initiated.
Ongoing investigation and expected results
Further actions and final decisions will depend on the results of the current inspection and the investigation by the competent authorities. The Ukrainian army and state institutions stressed their commitment to combat such violations in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.