Ukrainian commander faces trial for failing to stop torture within his unit

Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation has completed its probe into Colonel Oleh Poberezhniuk, commander of the 211th Pontoon Bridge Brigade, accusing him of knowingly allowing torture and abuse of soldiers under his command to continue unchecked, the officials said on May 29.

According to the official statement, investigators determined that from February to July 2024, Poberezhniuk was aware of repeated instances of torture and cruel treatment carried out by a subordinate officer but failed to take any action. The officer in question, Senior Lieutenant Vladyslav Pastukh, allegedly beat, humiliated, and tortured fellow servicemen.

Pastukh, who is no longer with the unit, is the son of the brigade’s chief of staff and a close associate of Poberezhniuk. Authorities say this personal connection likely influenced the commander’s decision to conceal the crimes and avoid reporting them to law enforcement.

Pastukh was charged with abusing his authority in December 2024  after allegedly beating, humiliating, and torturing fellow service members. The commander faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted.

“Instead of protecting the rights of his subordinates, the commander effectively became complicit through criminal inaction, enabling further abuse,” the bureau said. Such actions, it added, not only violate the law but also pose a serious threat to the internal discipline of Ukraine’s Armed Forces during wartime.

Poberezhniuk has been charged with inaction of military authority under martial law, a serious offense under Ukraine’s Criminal Code, carrying a sentence of seven to 10 years in prison. The case has been forwarded to Poberezhniuk and his legal team for review before being submitted to court. The Prosecutor General’s Office is overseeing the case.

The charges follow a December 2023 Ukrainska Pravda investigation that revealed a pattern of systemic abuse within the brigade, including beatings, extortion, and reports of a soldier being tied to a wooden cross. The report also highlighted widespread nepotism, with multiple family members serving within the same unit.

Following public outcry, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi suspended Poberezhniuk, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov ordered an internal investigation.

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