Former commander of Ukraine's 125th Brigade refused to accept fortifications built in Kharkiv Oblast due to their poor condition

Lieutenant General Artur Horbenko, the former commander of the Territorial Defence Forces' 125th Separate Brigade, refused to accept fortifications on the second line of defence, which were built by civilian companies commissioned by the regional military administration, in late 2023. The explanation is that the defence structures are in poor condition.

Source: Horbenko in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda 

Quote: "As brigade commander, I received an order at the end of 2023 to accept defensive fortifications along the second line of defence [in the area of Lyptsi, Verbove, and Izbytske – ed.]. I refused to do it. I drove along this route, having taken upon myself the commitment to photograph and record everything.

Firstly, it (the fortifications) did not follow the tactical strategy because it was not at the prominent heights. Most of these fortifications were in the lowlands, overgrown with bushes, and the trenches had crumbled. Concrete constructions were not properly equipped. As a result, I refused to accept them and forwarded formal reports to the leadership of the Kharkiv Operational Tactical Group. The response was, ‘We will look into it.’

Someone from the Oblast Military Administration has also responded to the management of the Kharkiv Operational Tactical Group, stating that the structures are nearly completed, that work is still proceeding, and that they are in satisfactory shape. However, it was an absolute lie."

Background: Previously, Head of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, indicated that the administration was solely responsible for actual conditions of the third line of defence, which is closer to Kharkiv than the second one. The construction works began on 1 March 2024.

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