News Feed

"We now know for sure that the great fire of the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw was caused by arson ordered by the Russian special services," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X. "Some of the perpetrators have already been detained, all the others are identified and searched for."

This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.

Show More
News Feed

General accused of botching Kharkiv defense released from detention facility, lawyer says

1 min read
General accused of botching Kharkiv defense released from detention facility, lawyer says
Lieutenant General Artur Horbenko, accused of mismanaging Ukraine's defense in Kharkiv Oblast during Russia's cross-border offensive in May 2024. (ArmyInform / Website)

The Kyiv Court of Appeal has released Lieutenant General Artur Horbenko from a detention facility and placed him under house arrest until March 20, online newspaper Ukrainian Pravda reported on Feb. 27, citing his lawyer Maksym Tkhorivsky.

Horbenko, along with General Yurii Halushkin and Colonel Illia Lapin, was arrested on Jan. 21 on charges of mismanaging Ukraine's defense in Kharkiv Oblast during Russia's cross-border offensive in May 2024.

Horbenko is suspected of negligence in military service.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) accused the three officers of failing to properly fortify the region and use all available resources to repel Russian forces.

Russia's offensive into northeastern Kharkiv Oblast saw rapid advances of several kilometers, prompting criticism of military and regional leadership for inadequate defensive preparations.

Although Ukrainian forces eventually stalled the Russian advance roughly 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of Kharkiv, the initial breach raised concerns over strategic failures.

Halushkin was accused of assigning inadequate defensive positions to the 125th Territorial Defense Brigade, which was under Horbenko's command, and failing to provide sufficient artillery and air support.

While Horbenko will remain under house arrest, the status of the other detained officers remains unchanged.

Russian troops ‘bogged down’ near Pokrovsk, Ukrainian military claims
“I am not saying that Ukrainian forces caught some second, third, or 100th and 500th breath... But Russian troops have indeed begun to show some physical, moral, and material exhaustion,” said Viktor Trehubov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Khortytsia group of forces.
Avatar
Tim Zadorozhnyy

News Editor

Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.

Read more