The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has opened a criminal case into possible official negligence that may have caused the deaths of 20 soldiers of the 23rd Separate Rifle Battalion. The investigation covers events that occurred in the Lyman and Kharkiv directions in 2023–2024.
What prompted the investigation?
According to the State Bureau of Investigation, the battalion command had not rotated for over a year and a half , which led to significant exhaustion of the military .
Instead of replenishing the personnel, the battalion continued to be thrown on assault missions , despite the critical fatigue of the fighters.
The result was more than 20 dead and 80 injured .
Former deputy commander of the 23rd Battalion, soldier of the 159th Motorized Rifle Brigade, Serhiy Horbatyuk, became one of the initiators of the investigation. He notes that the volunteers, who had been performing combat missions since February 2022, found themselves in a hopeless situation .
"This is a battalion of volunteers who went to the front themselves in 2022 and performed their duties with honor. Hundreds of soldiers were awarded for their courage. But today this unit is actually rendered unfit for combat. I could not remain silent," said Horbatyuk.
Warnings that were ignored
The soldiers of the 23rd Battalion repeatedly reported the critical moral and psychological state of the unit to the leadership of the 63rd and 118th separate mechanized brigades. But there was no response to the appeal.
In October 2024, Horbatyuk filed an official complaint with the State Bureau of Investigation about alleged abuse of power and official negligence by the command .
Result: After Gorbatyuk himself appealed, he was sent on a business trip without explanation and tried to transfer him to another unit.
Who will be responsible?
The SBI investigation concerns a brigadier general , under whose leadership the 23rd battalion was located. He is charged with negligent attitude to service during martial law (Article 425 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), which provides for up to 8 years of imprisonment .
Context: not the first case of investigations against commanders
Recall that in May 2024, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Security Service of Ukraine detained two generals and a colonel , who are suspected of negligence, due to which the enemy was able to capture part of the Kharkiv region .
The investigation into the 23rd Battalion could set another precedent in which senior military commanders will be held accountable for unjustified losses .
