A high-profile conflict erupted in the city of Oleksandria, Kirovohrad Oblast, between a local official and a serviceman who survived Russian captivity. The reason was a public insult to the defender, which caused outrage among the public and his fellow soldiers.
This is Igor Yermolyuk, the head of the civil defense department of the Alexandria City Council, who reacted sharply to a post by military officer Oleksandr Gurzhiy on social media. The defender questioned the real state of the shelters in the city and recalled that even before the full-scale invasion, he tried to get information about safety for civilians, but instead was faced with rudeness from officials.
In response, the official wrote a comment in which he stated that the soldier “sat in warm captivity” and was allegedly “helping to destabilize the situation.” These words caused a wave of indignation, as Gurzhiy spent almost three years in captivity, was tortured, and lost significant weight.
The soldier himself noted that he perceives this statement not only as a personal insult, but as a disrespect for all Ukrainian defenders who survived captivity. According to him, the comment was seen by dozens of comrades, which only intensified the resonance. Although the post was later deleted, its content was preserved in screenshots.
Gurzhiy also reported that after the incident he had a personal meeting with the official, during which the official did not change his position and even threatened inspections. The serviceman emphasizes that he is currently undergoing treatment, but remains in the status of an active military serviceman and plans to return to service.
Journalists tried to get a comment from Igor Yermolyuk, but he refused to communicate. The city council confirmed that this was his official position.
An information request has been sent to the Mayor of Oleksandria, Serhiy Kuzmenko, regarding an assessment of the situation and possible disciplinary measures. A response is expected within the time limits established by law.
