Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation to investigate former Joint Forces Commander's actions during Russian offensive 

Sevgil Musaieva, VALENTYNA ROMANENKO — Saturday, 29 June 2024, 10:48

The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) will investigate the actions of Lieutenant General Yurii Sodol during his command of the defence of the Kharkiv front and other factors pointed out by Bohdan "Tavr" Krotevych, Chief of Staff of the Azov Brigade of the National Guard.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda sources in law enforcement agencies

Details: Ukrainska Pravda sources noted that the SBI had responded to Krotevych that his statement on the possible abuse of power and incompetent command of troops by Yurii Sodol, the commander of the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Forces, had been taken into consideration. Moreover, they stressed that as a result, Krotevych’s evidence had been attached to the criminal case on the circumstances of the Russian breakthrough of the front in Kharkiv Oblast, which, among other things, provides a legal assessment of the actions of the military command of the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Forces during the planning and conduct of defence operations on the front.

The SBI pledged to Krotevych that the circumstances he described would be checked.

The day before, Krotevych himself said on Twitter (X) that he was "not satisfied with the SBI's response".

"Now it's up to the lawyers. I am grateful to everyone who supports me. I ask the military not to be afraid to testify (including those who do not have a large media presence). We will not back down," he added.

Read more on this topic: Changes in Ukraine's military top brass: who was fired and why, and what we can expect from their successors

Background:

  • Krotevych filed a request with Ukraine’s SBI calling for an investigation into Lieutenant General Yurii Sodol, the commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 
  • Ukrainska Pravda has information that Krotevych accused Sodol of abuse of power and incompetent command of the troops, leading to the loss of a large part of Ukraine's territory, and requested an investigation into the commander’s potential collaboration with Russia. Krotevych also said he was prepared to testify in the case. 
  • After the statement was made public, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy replaced Sodol with Brigadier General Andrii Hnatov. 
  • The SBI confirmed to Ukrainska Pravda that it had received the statement and added that investigators were working on it.

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