Ukrainian colonel and general suspected of negligence in defence of Kharkiv Oblast are remanded in custody
Pravda Ukraine
The Pechersk District Court of Kyiv imposed pre-trial detention on Brigadier General Yurii Halushkin, former commander of Operational Tactical Group Kharkiv, and Colonel Illia Lapin, former commander of the 415th Separate Rifle Battalion of the 23rd Separate Mechanised Brigade, on 21 January.
Source: Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne; Radio Liberty
Details: According to the court’s ruling, Halushkin will remain in custody for the next 60 days, with bail set at UAH 5 million (approximately US$119,000), as reported by Radio Liberty.
The court partially satisfied the prosecutor’s motion.
Lapin was also remanded in custody for 60 days, according to a Suspilne correspondent present at the court session.
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.
- The sources cited by Ukrainska Pravda, revealed that those detained include Brigadier General Yurii Halushkin, Lieutenant General Artur Horbenko and Colonel Illia Lapin.
- The SBI stated that Brigadier General Halushkin assigned defensive positions to the 125th Territorial Defence Brigade that were beyond its combat capabilities, despite having other units available to reinforce the positions.
- Meanwhile, Colonel Lapin, the former commander of the 415th Separate Rifle Battalion of the 23rd Separate Mechanised Brigade, did not 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 investigators, the officer failed to report the outcomes of the battle to his senior commander during the defence against a Russian offensive, the SBI reports. He also did not take 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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