On the evening of Saturday, December 28, employees of the State Bureau of Investigations conducted investigative actions at the residence of Colonel Oleg Poberezhniuk, the commander of the controversial 211th pontoon-bridge brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as reported by "Ukrainian Truth" citing a source within law enforcement.
It was noted that a search was carried out at the home of the brigade commander. According to the investigation, from February to July 2024, Poberezhniuk was fully aware of the torture and other inhumane treatment inflicted by a subordinate officer (Vladislav Pastukh - UNIAN) on military personnel but failed to act.
According to UП, the brigade commander is being prepared for a notice of suspicion under part 4 of Article 426 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - inaction of military authority committed under martial law conditions.
Scandal in the 211th Pontoon-Bridge Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces - What You Need to Know
As reported by UNIAN, journalists uncovered extensive problems within the 211th pontoon-bridge brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It was highlighted that commanders were abusing their subordinates, demanding money, using violence, and tying individuals to a wooden cross, among other things.
Ukrainian MP and Deputy Chairperson of the Temporary Investigative Commission on Possible Violations of Legislation in the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces of Ukraine, Yulia Yatsyk, stated that in the 211th brigade, soldiers who abused alcohol were stripped naked and thrown into pits to sober them up.
On December 16, the specialized prosecutor's office in the defense sector of Ternopil opened a criminal case regarding the use of illegal measures against subordinates (part 5 of Article 426-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) by the command of the 211th pontoon-bridge brigade. The investigation was assigned to the State Bureau of Investigations.
On December 19, at the request of the prosecutors from the Ternopil specialized prosecutor's office in the defense sector of the Western region, the court imposed a preventive measure on the commander of the 211th pontoon-bridge brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
This involved detention with the right to post bail of 908,400 hryvnias.
Additionally, the higher command removed the commander of the 211th pontoon-bridge brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from performing official duties.
On December 20, the commander of the 211th pontoon-bridge brigade, Oleg Poberezhniuk, was released from custody on bail.