Main points
- Oleksandr Syrsky ordered to check the provision of military personnel on the front line by May 20.
- The General Staff identified serious problems in the organization of support for the 14th Motorized Rifle Brigade, which led to personnel changes and an internal investigation.
Syrsky ordered commanders to check whether the fighters on the front line are well-supplied / Photo: Syrsky's Facebook page
Recently, the public was shocked by footage of soldiers of the 14th Brigade, exhausted from hunger, holding the defense in the Kharkiv region. In connection with this scandal, Oleksandr Syrskyi issued a new order.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine instructed group commanders and corps commanders to check by May 20 how the supply of everything necessary for the military on the front line is organized. This was reported by the General Staff.
What is known about the new order of Sirsky?
The commander-in-chief also ordered to take all measures to provide the units with transport for the delivery of ammunition and provisions and the evacuation of the wounded. In particular, we are talking about ground robotic complexes and other equipment.
Let us recall that a loud scandal broke out in Ukraine after reports of serious problems with the provision of soldiers of the 14th separate mechanized brigade, who were in positions in the Kupyansk direction for a long time.
The soldiers were left without a stable supply of food and water. The relatives of the soldiers were the first to report this. According to them, provisions were delivered irregularly, and the breaks between deliveries could last more than a week, sometimes up to 10-17 days. In such conditions, the soldiers had to survive at the limit of their capabilities – using rainwater or melting snow.
Reports on social media also appeared about the soldiers' severe exhaustion after a long stay in positions. According to relatives, some soldiers who went to the front weighing about 80-90 kilograms returned weighing about 50-60 kilograms, that is, they lost about 30 kilograms.
The posts also claimed that communication with the units was unstable or non-existent, which is why families could not always receive information about the condition of the military.
After the situation became public, the Ministry of Defense announced that the military command had taken control of it. They emphasized that the brigades were trying to improve supplies as quickly as possible and organize personnel rotation if possible.
The General Staff added that personnel decisions have already been made – the leadership of the 14th brigade and one of the army corps has been changed. An internal investigation into the organization of support has also been launched.
The new brigade commander spoke with the servicemen and their families. According to him:
- provision is gradually normalizing;
- the military already has enough food;
- Preparations are underway for the possible withdrawal of some of the fighters for rest and recovery.
At the same time, the military themselves note that they need time to restore their physical condition after a long stay in difficult conditions.
The command emphasizes that the key task now is to prevent a similar situation from recurring and stabilize logistics on the front line.