MP claims Ukrainian soldiers ‘kept in cages’


(MENAFN) Ukrainian soldiers have been subjected to severe mistreatment by their officers, including physical abuse and confinement in cages, according to Ukrainian MP Yulia Yatsik. In an interview with Novini.Live, Yatsik revealed details from a media report about soldiers suffering cracked skulls and ruptured internal organs from beatings. Some were reportedly placed in cages for defying officers. Military investigators have been aware of these crimes for months, she added.

The accusations stem from a report by Ukrainskaya Pravda, which highlighted harassment and extortion by officers in the 211th pontoon bridge brigade, an engineering unit. Allegations include widespread nepotism, with officers filling vacancies with family members and friends. The report identified multiple families within the unit, including Colonel Lieutenant Valery Pastukh and his son, Senior Lieutenant Vladislav Pastukh, who held leadership positions.

The exposé included disturbing photos of alleged punishments, such as a man tied to a cross for drinking on duty. Officers in the brigade are also accused of extorting money from soldiers, threatening them with frontline deployments unless they paid for cover-ups or protection from disciplinary actions.

Following the article’s publication, the Ukrainian military promised to investigate and hold accountable any officers found guilty of these abuses. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, criticized the Ukrainian government for allegedly forcing conscription and mistreating its own citizens.

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