State Bureau of Investigation discloses investigation details on death of Ukrainian soldier on border with Belarus

Law enforcement officers are investigating the death of a Territorial Defence Forces soldier in Volyn Oblast as part of a criminal case on violation of the rules of combat duty.

Source: State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) in response to a request by Hromadske Ukrainian news outlet

Quote from Ruslan Liashko, Director of the State Bureau of Investigation in Lviv: "The servicemen, on the command of the commander, opened fire on the unknown persons near the border of Ukraine with Belarus."

Details: The investigation established that the incident occurred on 25 February at about 2:00 near the village of Tur, Kovel district in Volyn Oblast.

One of the soldiers was wounded and died during transportation.

The SBI reported that they had interrogated all the witnesses, and the investigation is ongoing.

Expert examinations have been ordered, the results of which will assist in establishing the circumstances of the incident.

The Bureau reported investigating a criminal case regarding Zakarpattia customs officials' commission of criminal offences, which "resulted in an unimpeded illegal importation of equipment into the customs territory of Ukraine in original packaging". Still, it did not specify how the two cases are related.

This is the only criminal proceeding in the Lviv office of the State Bureau of Investigation regarding violation of the rules of combat duty since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion.

The SBI has not disclosed any further details about the investigation into the soldier's death, citing the secrecy of the investigation.

Background: On 27 February, it was reported that Serhii Panasiuk, a 33-year-old soldier of the Territorial Defence Forces of Volyn Oblast, was killed at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border during a combat task. All the circumstances of his death are currently being investigated.

The soldier reportedly died at dawn on 25 February, but the circumstances are unknown.

Serhii Panasiuk participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation in eastern Ukraine. He joined the Territorial Defence Forces in the first days of the full-scale invasion. He was a commander of a rifle platoon. He is survived by his daughter and son.

Unverified information regarding the alleged hostile attack from Belarus appeared on social media. The Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus denied that there had been any shooting from their side.

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