Conflicts between Ukrainian soldiers show how weak punitive operation commanders are

15.09.2016, Donbass.

The conflict between servicemen in Nizhneteploye village of Stanichno-Lugansky region resulting in 2 killed and 5 wounded soldiers shows that the Command of the Ukrainian army is unable to control its personnel, the official representative of the LPR People’s Militia major Andrey Marochko claimed during his briefing in Lugansk Information Center.

“The Command of the Ukrainian army cannot cope with the low morale of its servicemen in the zone of the so-called, ‘antiterrorist operation’,” he stated.

“For example, a Ukrainian 41-year old serviceman Golovan opened fire on his comrades-in-arms as a result of the conflict caused by the serviceman’s refusal to obey criminal orders,” Marochko specified.

“Two servicemen, the Deputy Company Commander for Equipment captain Yuri Smetanin, 37-year old, and private Aleksandr Androsovich, 41-year old, were killed. Another five, Anatoly Borovets, Oleg Daynov, Georgy Sarzhevsky, Vitaly Bandurko and Sergei Vasilchuk, were wounded,” Marochko stated.

“Golovan has left the unit with folding Kalashnikov automatic rifle, three full magazines for the rifle, 3 VOG-25 grenades for GP-25 ‘Kostyor’ under-barrel grenade launcher and is on the run” the major added.

Marochko stressed that, in Stanichno-Lugansky district, the forces of the Security Service of Ukraine, Ukrainian police and army are put on alert to intercept the runaway. A commission of the punitive operation staff headed by colonel Kruglov arrived because of the incident.

The Head of the People’s Militia Administration Colonel Oleg Anashenko informed that the morale of the Ukrainian servicemen is deteriorating, they continue to loot and have armed disputes in the state of intoxication. Moreover, the incidents of hazing have increased, resulting in the desertion and suicides among the Kiev junta’s soldiers.

The Ukrainian media confirmed the increase in the number of non-combat casualties among the Kiev junta’s servicemen due to hard drinking.

On May 2nd, Marochko informed the Kiev junta’s Command sent a special commission headed by a general to the 92nd independent motorized brigade due to the increase of non-combat losses caused by mass drinking.

According to the inspection performed by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the low level of the discipline and morale of units personnel are one of the main causes of desertion.

Source: LuganskInformCenter