An ammunition seizure allegedly hindered the operations of the air defense unit, sparking a scandal in the Odessa region.
What happened?
On December 19, the media outlet Journalist, citing representatives of a military unit, reported that the State Bureau of Investigations confiscated ammunition, "effectively destroying" the combat capability of the air defense unit. The basis for this was allegations of violating the procedure for transporting shells.
Colonel of the Ukrainian Navy Andrey Smirnov stated that the transportation to the combat task location was necessary to ensure the operation of air defense. The documents regarding this were reviewed in court twice, but the arrest was extended indefinitely.
In a comment to Hromadske on December 23, the serviceman explained that explosives for FPV drones were delivered on the night of November 5 by order of the unit commander. He assured that he had all the necessary documents with him. The shells were needed to destroy reconnaissance UAVs over the Odessa region.
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0 1 2 3 4 5 6 "An hour before ballistic missiles arrive in Odessa, a reconnaissance drone flies in to conduct further reconnaissance, and only after that missiles are directed to that location. We need 10-12 minutes to reach combat positions, so we could have easily destroyed them within an hour," Smirnov explained.
According to him, the investigation suspects that the military was transporting ammunition for sale. This case is considered theft of military property.
Comment from the SBI
The SBI confirmed that they are conducting a pre-trial investigation into the appropriation of ammunition by military personnel. According to the investigation, in November, during a vehicle inspection at a checkpoint, "active armor with TNT" was discovered. It is noted that the explosives were transported "without adhering to safety requirements for transporting such cargo and without the necessary documentation."
The bureau reported that an examination has been appointed. They do not believe that the arrest affects the defense capability of the unit performing air defense functions in the region.
Smirnov's Reaction
Smirnov mocked the SBI's statement on social media, claiming that the seizure of ammunition did not impact the unit's operations.
"Apparently, they need to be invited for a master class: How to operate FPV without explosives. I wonder which fronts they gained such experience in defending the Motherland? They quickly seem to have forgotten 2022," he wrote.
7 New Details from the SBI
In a broadcast on the "Kyiv" channel on December 24, SBI communications advisor Tatyana Sapyian reiterated the denial of information regarding the impact of the seizure on air defense operations.
"The seizure of explosives in no way affects the defense capabilities of the units protecting the airspace of the region," she assured.
The press secretary explained that plates and dynamic protection kits were found in the vehicle at the checkpoint. She emphasized that such active armor with TNT does not affect combat capability in any way.
At the same time, Sapyian stated that the subject of the initiated case "will do everything to defend himself." According to her, the military is not cooperating with the investigation, and the documents published in the media were not provided at the time of the checkpoint inspection.
"Thus, the origin of these documents will be clarified during the pre-trial investigation. These explosives were transported without adhering to safety requirements (...) and without the necessary documentation," added the SBI representative.
Recall that on December 24, DeepState reported that the Armed Forces managed to break out of encirclement in the village of Makarovka. The settlement had been captured by Russian troops.
In the 110th OMBr, they demonstrated how they destroyed a column of Russian armored vehicles in the Vremovskoye direction. FPV drone operators turned enemy tanks and BMPs into scrap metal with precise strikes.