On the last day of the defense of Ugledar, the battalion commander committed suicide after his soldiers refused to carry out their combat mission. According to "Suspilne," this reason for the death of Igor Grib, the commander of the 186th battalion of the 123rd Territorial Defense Brigade, is noted in an internal frontline report received by journalists.
Preliminary reports suggest that Grib took his own life directly at the command-observation post. The fact of the commander's death was confirmed in a statement from the 123rd brigade on Saturday. While the cause of death was not disclosed at that time, a service investigation was announced.
A source from "Suspilne," who was assigned to Igor Grib's battalion, outlined the circumstances leading up to the commander's suicide.
"He gathered us in the forest and informed us that two teams were to be sent to the combat positions. We were supposed to stay there permanently. He said that we would pass a checkpoint from which we could not exit. If two teams went in and fell, another two would replace them; if they fell, there would be no one left to replace them. The commander told us we had a night to think over our decision. In the morning, those who wanted to left and went home (deserted the front - UNIAN), while those who did not want to stayed and continued (remaining at the front - UNIAN), hoping that something might change and the brigade would be withdrawn," he recounted.
Another soldier stated that Grib was a very good commander whom "everyone trusted, believed in, and knew things would be fine."
"This situation changed the mood and spirit of the entire battalion," the soldier shared.
Senior Lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Nikolai Melnik commented to Den.LIVE that a thorough investigation of this incident is necessary.
"We often assign impossible tasks to the commander and suggest he shoot himself if he fails. By the way, no one has canceled the article on incitement to suicide yet. At the same time, I emphasize that we should not glorify those who flee the battlefield," he stated.
As reported by Tagesspiegel, the battalion commanded by Igor Grib was supposed to facilitate the withdrawal of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade from Ugledar. If the cause of death is confirmed, it will mark the first officially known case of suicide among the military command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It will also be the first instance of a mass public refusal by Ukrainian soldiers to serve.
It is noted that a few days after Grib's suicide, about 100 infantrymen held a protest rally in Voznesensk, Mykolaiv region, complaining that their brigade was inadequately prepared for missions on the challenging front line and lacked weaponry. However, Alexander Pukhalsky, a representative of the Territorial Defense Command, stated that the brigade is fully equipped with weapons and military equipment.
Tagesspiegel cites data from the authoritative annual Military Balance: territorial defense forces do not possess their own artillery, except for mortars, and lack armored vehicles, which is why they are usually assigned to stronger combat units.
According to Ukrainian military expert Dmitry Popovich, the events in Ugledar reveal the insufficient capability of territorial defense in executing extremely complex tasks.
"On one hand, the refusal to carry out orders is undoubtedly a regrettable circumstance that casts the brigade in a poor light. On the other hand, it may be that such a combat task simply does not align with the unit's capabilities. Some territorial defense brigades are effectively under-armed and unprepared. This is a key issue that needs to be addressed," the expert explained.
The Battle for Ugledar: Latest News
As reported by UNIAN, not all wounded soldiers could be evacuated from Ugledar. This acknowledgment was made by the commander of the 72nd brigade, which defended the city. According to him, during such fierce fighting, it is impossible to claim that 100% of the wounded were evacuated.
The brigade commander asserts that in the battles for Ugledar, only in recent days, four hundred Russian occupiers have been killed. Additionally, over the past four days, more than 50 units of equipment were destroyed in the operational direction of one of the battalions.