Commander of Ukraine's 155th brigade detained in kidnapping, murder case

Stanislav Luchanov, the former commander of Ukraine's scandal-hit 155th "Anne of Kyiv" Brigade, has been detained in Kyiv in connection with the alleged kidnapping and murder of two civilians in Kyiv Oblast, Ukrainian media reported on July 13, citing the Prosecutor General's Office.

Luchanov was detained while traveling in a car with his lawyer, according to the reports.  

President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed that another suspect had been detained in the case, bringing the total number of detainees to 10.

"These are, unfortunately, servicemen and the former commander of the 155th Brigade," Zelensky said.

"Everything they did will be thoroughly investigated," he added. "This is a case that concerns not just one community or Kyiv Oblast alone. Establishing the full truth and bringing everyone responsible to justice is something the whole country needs."

According to the Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske, citing law enforcement sources, a group linked to the 155th Brigade broke into the home of two brothers in the village of Kalynivka, Kyiv Oblast, on the night of June 27-28, abducted them, took them to neighboring Poltava Oblast, and later killed them.

The victims were later identified as Maksym and Roman Moseichuk. Their father was killed while serving in Ukraine's military, while Maksym was himself a former serviceman.

On July 11, Ukraine's General Staff announced that Luchanov and other members of the brigade had been charged with illegal detention and intentional murder. The military initially said Luchanov had abandoned his unit without authorization during the investigation and was at large.

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi ordered the Military Law Enforcement Service and the Kyiv Oblast police to investigate the case and suspended all service members implicated in the alleged crimes.

"If the investigation proves guilt, those responsible will be held accountable for every crime committed, regardless of their position or previous merits," the General Staff said at the time.

The 155th "Anne of Kyiv" Brigade has faced other scandals since its formation. Originally presented as a flagship modernization project trained and equipped with support from France and other partners, the brigade has been plagued by allegations of poor leadership, widespread desertions, and command failures.

Luchanov took command of the brigade in February 2026 after the arrest of his predecessor, Dmytro Ryumshyn. Before that, he served as chief of staff of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skelia," another unit that is currently under investigation over alleged abuse of soldiers.