Commander of Ukrainian engineering brigade charged with inaction over soldier abuse
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Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation detained Colonel Oleh Poberezhniuk, commander of the 211th Pontoon Bridge Brigade, on Dec. 29, accusing him of failing to address abuse and torture allegations involving his subordinates.
The charges stem from a media investigation by Ukrainska Pravda on Dec. 16, which detailed severe abuse within the brigade. Officers reportedly beat service members, extorted money, and tied a soldier to a wooden cross as punishment.
Following the revelations, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi ordered an inspection and suspended Poberezhniuk, while Defense Minister Rustem Umerov launched an investigation into the abuse allegations.
Investigators found that between February and July 2024, Poberezhniuk knew of repeated torture and inhumane treatment by Senior Lieutenant Vladyslav Pastukh, his godson and the son of the brigade's chief of staff.
Pastukh, no longer serving in the unit, was previously implicated in the abuse cases.
The media investigation revealed a pattern of nepotism in the brigade, with nearly a dozen instances of fathers and sons or husbands and wives serving together.
Poberezhniuk has also been accused of misuse of resources under separate charges. He allegedly directed four subordinates to build his house in Khmelnytskyi Oblast in fall 2023 while falsely listing them as on duty in Mykolaiv Oblast. The soldiers reportedly received salaries and combat pay during the period.
A court set bail at Hr 908,400 ($21,600), allowing his release on Dec. 20.
After searches of Poberezhniuk's residence on Dec. 28, the officer was detained again and brought to Kyiv. Poberezhniuk faces charges of inaction of military authority under martial law, which carries a penalty of seven to 10 years in prison.
