Ukrainian brigade's retreat precedes tragic fall at Vuhledar

The commander of the 186th Battalion of the 123rd Ukrainian Territorial Defence Brigade, Igor Hryba, allegedly committed suicide. The reason may have been his battalion's refusal to follow orders and subsequent abandonment of their positions near Vuhledar. This reportedly contributed to the fall of the stronghold, which had been defended for more than two years.

Ukrainian media are investigating the reasons for the fall of the Vuhledar stronghold. This is a city in the Donetsk region that has been fiercely resisting Russian aggression since the start of the full-scale war.

Ukrainian journalist Volodymyr Boiko, who is serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated that on October 2, just before Vuhledar fell, the commander of the 186th Battalion of the 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade committed suicide.

Thirty-three-year-old Igor Hryba shot himself shortly after his battalion, without permission, left their positions near Vuhledar, allegedly leading to the ultimate loss of the city.

These reports have also been confirmed by TSN journalist Julia Kiriyenko. In a Facebook post, she claims that the 72nd Brigade, which had been defending Vuhledar from the beginning, was supposed to be supported by the 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade, but "the infantry scattered somewhere, and then one of the fighters shot himself."

Because of the "escape" of the 123rd Brigade, the evacuation of the 72nd Brigade was delayed, reportedly costing many soldiers' lives. "The brigade comprises seven battalions. In several of them, after battles around Vuhledar, there was no more infantry" - it reads.

"I think it's possible to imagine the mental and psychological state of the soldiers. Even commanders are submitting requests to be removed from their posts," - adds Kiriyenko.

A day after these dramatic events, on October 3, about 100 soldiers from the 187th Battalion of the 123rd Brigade gathered in Voznesensk, in the Mykolaiv region, at a rally to "draw attention to insufficient training and lack of weapons for warfare in the Donetsk direction."

"Everyone refused to carry out the combat mission and voluntarily left the military unit in Donbas," - writes the Ukrainian portal Suspilne, which belongs to the public broadcaster.

The new unit commander was also present on-site and stated that he had repeatedly requested weapon deliveries, but in response, he was told that "there are no weapons."

Meanwhile, Oleksandr Puhalski, head of the psychological support department for the Territorial Defence Command's personnel, claims that "the unit is fully equipped with weapons and military equipment." - And the soldiers' actions are associated with criminal responsibility - he added.

The representative of the Ukrainian Military Law and Order Service, who was present at the meeting with the soldiers, refused to comment on the situation. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine refused to answer whether the escape of the 128th Brigade could have contributed to the fall of Vuhledar, explaining that "revealing this information could inform the enemy."