The Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, has ordered an inspection of the 59th Separate Motorized Brigade “Yakiv Handziuk” following recent losses, as stated by Ukraine’s General Staff on July 15.
Kateryna Polishchuk, also known as Ptashka (“bird”), a defender and medic from Azovstal, urged Syrskyi and President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the brigade’s commander, Bohdan Shevchuk, for alleged misconduct.
Polishchuk accused Shevchuk of giving criminal orders and other transgressions, calling for an internal investigation into his leadership.
The 59th Brigade, stationed near Krasnohorivka in Donetsk Oblast, faces heavy pressure from Russian forces.
The situation unfolded as Polishchuk, a former captive in Russia who resumed military service, shed light on the alleged shortcomings of Shevchuk’s appointment based on “family ties” in April 2024.
Despite praising previous commanders of the unit, Polishchuk expressed dissatisfaction with Shevchuk’s leadership and eventually left the military due to the contentious environment.
This development follows President Zelensky’s recent decision to replace Lieutenant General Yurii Sodol with Brigadier General Andrii Hnatov in response to complaints from soldiers regarding heavy losses.