July 13, 2026, 3:28 p.mJuly 13, 2026, 3:28 p.m
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed the arrest of the former officer.Image: keystone
In Ukraine, a high-ranking ex-officer is said to have incited soldiers in his unit to kidnap and murder two civilians.
The former commander of the 155th mechanized brigade was arrested in Kiev, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on the X portal. So far there have been ten arrests in the high-profile case.
The victims came from the town of Kalynivka near Kiev, and the officer had a private argument with them. They were kidnapped and killed in the Poltava region. “This case goes beyond a single location or the Kiev region,” Zelensky wrote. “It is important for the entire country to find out the complete truth and hold all those responsible accountable.”
Several scandals in the army
The Ukrainian army is lacking soldiers in the defensive battle against Russia. It has recently been rocked by several scandals. In the “Skelja” assault regiment, around two dozen recruits are said to have died due to mistreatment. The officer who has now been arrested was also in command there for a time.
After the bomb attack on a rich Ukrainian businessman in Monaco, the suspect was shot dead in Ukraine. The alleged perpetrators are officers of the Ukrainian military intelligence service HUR. (sda/dpa)