Detaining generals: why pursuing criminal cases against Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers is risky, according to a military expert.

During a major conflict, there may be fighters who have committed serious crimes, stated Ukrainian Armed Forces member Yevgeny Ievlev. In his view, ongoing investigations need to be "molecularly substantiated."

https://focus.ua/voennye-novosti/689784-zaderzhanie-generalov-voennyy-predostereg-ot-obvineniy-gbr-video2025-01-23 07:59:38

Law enforcement agencies should approach the investigation of cases concerning the actions of military personnel and cases involving the detention of generals with great caution. Punishing commanders during a difficult war with the Russian Federation could demotivate military personnel from taking responsibility and command. The Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier Yevgeny Ievlev discussed the dangers of criminal prosecution for fighters and officers on the "News. Live" television channel.

Detention of Generals — Position of the Ukrainian Military

Ievlev pointed out that over the three years of war, there have indeed been military personnel who may have committed serious crimes. In his opinion, this should be kept in mind, and they "probably should be behind bars." The officer reminded of the threats Ukraine faces while opposing the second-largest army in the world — the Russian Armed Forces. He also mentioned that there are no individuals who could "perfectly handle the challenges." Later, the military summarized that cases against generals involved in criminal proceedings should be investigated with particular care. The reason for this heightened attention is due to its influence on other military personnel, who may refuse to take responsibility knowing they could face imprisonment.

"Any case against any military personnel must be molecularly proven, researched, all strictly within the legal framework. If we start imprisoning military personnel, we won't have anyone willing to take responsibility and become commanders," — said Ievlev.

The interviewee recalled two cases against military personnel. The first case involves the 155th Separate Motorized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which has an abnormally high desertion rate. The second pertains to the failure of the defense of the Kharkiv region in the spring of 2024 during the Russian offensive. There are sometimes court sentences regarding some logs that someone filled out incorrectly, Ievlev pointed out. In his view, such violations shouldn't warrant punishment.

"One cannot go through the entire journey without making a single mistake. Therefore, it is essential to approach the prosecution of any military accused of something as thoroughly as possible," — concluded the fighter.

Details of the Generals' Case

The next case involves generals who commanded the defense of the Kharkiv region in the spring of 2024. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) announced the opening of a criminal case against three top military officials. The officers are suspected under two articles — part 4 of Article 425 (negligence in service) and Article 429 (unauthorized abandonment of the battlefield). Journalists from UP, citing their own sources, reported that among the suspects are the former commander of the Operational-Tactical Group "Kharkiv," Brigadier General Yuriy Halushkin, the former commander of the 125th Territorial Defense Brigade, Lieutenant General Arthur Gorbenko, and the former commander of the 415th Battalion of the 125th Brigade, Colonel Ilya Lapin.

We remind you that on January 22, analysts from the DeepState project shared their insights on the situation in the Kharkiv region and the accusations made against the three officers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.