Ukraine urgently investigates nearly 30 commanders accused of desertion and neglect of duty, which allowed Russia to strike at Kharkov.
The State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine (SBI) confirmed on May 27 that it is investigating nearly 30 commanding officers accused of neglecting their duty to hold the defensive lines in Kharkov.
Due to the importance of the case, the investigation involves top investigators and is supported by the General Staff and regional military commanders.
SBI did not disclose further details, but according to Ukraine’s Glavkom newspaper, a total of 28 commanding officers are facing charges of desertion or neglect of duty.
The newspaper cited court documents identifying the suspected unit as the 125th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade.
Glavkom reported that brigade commanders and personnel from the 415th and 172nd Rifle Battalions and the 23rd Mechanized Brigade are accused of failing to organize the defense of positions along the border adequately. These units allegedly “abandoned their combat positions” in five villages, leaving second-line units to fight.
On May 10, as Russia launched its attack on Kharkov, SBI seized several classified military documents, including communications of the involved commanders and reports on fortifications, personnel, weapons, and supplies of the subordinate units. If convicted, the implicated officers face up to 10 years in prison.
The 125th Brigade denied the accusations, stressing that all their defensive forces were ready and no one fled their frontline positions.
In a Facebook post, Lieutenant General Arthur Gorbenko, the brigade commander, blamed “individuals on social media” for spreading misinformation.
Kharkov, located in northeastern Ukraine, borders Russia. On May 10, Russia resumed its attack on Kharkov after withdrawing nearly two years ago. In a short time, Moscow controlled over 10 villages, including the strategically important Klescheevka near Chasov Yar.
Russia is tightening two pincers from the north and east. Earlier this week, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia is assembling a force about 90 km northwest of Kharkov to prepare for a new offensive. Zelensky suggested that one of Russia’s attack targets is the Sumy province in northeastern Ukraine.
According to military analysts, by opening a new front in northern Ukraine, Russia is betting that the Ukrainian army, after more than two years of near exhaustion, will not be able to maintain positions across the entire 1,000 km front.
However, Andriy Demchenko, the spokesperson for Ukraine’s Border Guard Service, assessed that the current number of Russian troops near the border is insufficient for a major offensive.
