Ukraine rocked by military abuse scandal as inspections loom
Scandal in Ukraine. Journalists from Ukrainska Pravda have revealed a series of irregularities in the 211th Bridge and Pontoon Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Commanders, among other things, mistreated soldiers. The country is in uproar, and the Minister of Defence and the Chief Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have announced inspections in the unit.
It all started with the disappearance of one of the soldiers. On 8 July 2024, the company commander of the 211th Bridge and Pontoon Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine noticed the disappearance of a soldier at a permanent deployment point in the Ternopil region. After fruitless searches, officers discovered that the soldier had returned home. His mother reported that her son was in poor condition, not eating, and abusing alcohol.
Soldier tied to a cross
In the attic, a terrified, exhausted soldier was found who claimed he was threatened with death if he did not pay money to the chief of staff's son – Vladyslav Pastukh. The investigation revealed that Pastukh, a platoon commander, beat and intimidated soldiers, extorting money from them under the threat of being transferred to the infantry.
Importantly, the 211th Bridge and Pontoon Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was called "fat" by the soldiers. Soldiers of this unit did not participate in active combat, which significantly minimized the risk of being wounded or killed on the front line.
According to Ukrainska Pravda, in the spring of 2024, official inspections confirmed cases of abuse and violations of the law, including covering up cases of alcohol consumption by soldiers in exchange for bribes. Vladyslav Pastukh, the son of the chief of staff, was the main perpetrator of mistreatment of subordinates. One soldier testified that he was tied to a wooden cross and brutally beaten.
Instead of punishing the guilty, the command transferred the victims and the officers involved in the investigations to other units. Vladyslav Pastukh was transferred, and his father paid compensation to the victims. Despite the evidence, the prosecutor's office and the Investigative Bureau did not initiate criminal proceedings.
The court only fined Vladyslav's father, Lieutenant Colonel Valery Pastukh, 34,000 hryvnias (approximately £760) for negligence and improper performance of duties, which allowed the violations to be concealed.
A wave of inspections after the shocking publication
Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets commented on the reports published by Ukrainska Pravda. He immediately sent letters to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Military Law and Order Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, demanding verification of the information and conducting an official investigation.
"Such a disgraceful phenomenon should not occur! Therefore, I take the matter under personal supervision and will inform about the results of the inspections," he conveyed.
The General Staff reported that by the decision of the Chief Commander of the Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, a commission of the Military Law and Order Service was sent to the unit.
"For the duration of the inspection, the commander of the military unit was removed from his duties at his post," the staff said.
- By my order, the Chief Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defence will immediately start work to verify the facts presented in the Ukrainska Pravda article regarding the situation in the 211th brigade - informed Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.
