Ukrainian colonel and general suspected of negligence in defence of Kharkiv Oblast are remanded in custody
On 21 January, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv imposed pre-trial restrictions on Brigadier General Yurii Halushkin, former commander of the Kharkiv Operational and Tactical Group, and Colonel Illia Lapin, former commander of the 415th Separate Rifle Battalion of the 23rd Separate Mechanised Brigade.
Source: Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne; Radio Liberty
Details: The court ruled that Halushkin will remain in custody for the next 60 days, with bail set at UAH 5 million (approximately US$119,000), Radio Liberty reported.
The court partially granted the request made by the prosecutor.
Lapin was also remanded in custody for 60 days, according to a Suspilne correspondent present in the court.
The hearing for Lieutenant General Artur Horbenko, former commander of the 125th Territorial Defence Brigade, was adjourned until 22 January due to the emergence of new evidence in the case.
Background:
- On 20 January, the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), in cooperation with the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), detained two former generals and a colonel on suspicion of negligence that enabled Russian forces to seize part of the territory of Kharkiv Oblast in May 2024.
- Sources cited by Ukrainska Pravda revealed that the detainees are Brigadier General Yurii Halushkin, Lieutenant General Artur Horbenko and Colonel Illia Lapin.
- The SBI stated that Brigadier General Halushkin had assigned defensive positions to the 125th Territorial Defence Brigade that were beyond its combat capabilities, despite having other units available to reinforce the positions.
- Colonel Lapin, the former commander of the 415th Separate Rifle Battalion of the 23rd Separate Mechanised Brigade, failed to plan a defensive action in the settlements of Strilecha, Krasne, Lyptsi and Slobozhanske, all of which were inside his battalion's defence zone.
- According to the SBI, the officer failed to report the outcomes of the battle to his senior commander during the defence against the Russian offensive. He also took no action to prevent the unauthorised retreat of 12 battalion soldiers and issued a combat order independently, without the approval of his senior commander. Additionally, the former battalion commander ignored the brigade commander's order to recover the lost positions.
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