Mykolaiv Court Extends Arrest of Soldier Who Deserted Military Service

In Mykolaiv region, the court decided to extend the arrest of a soldier who had left the service without permission. In the spring of 2025, he was detained in the mountains in Ivano-Frankivsk region.

This is evidenced by the decision of the Arbuzynskyi District Court of Mykolaiv Oblast.

The suspect was performing military service under mobilization as a cadet when he committed the crime. According to the investigation, on July 25, 2023, at about 04:50, the soldier left his place of service without permission and without good reason, which is a violation of military discipline. The suspect's whereabouts after the offense remained unknown, which created additional difficulties for the investigation.

However, in March 2025, he was detained by border guards in the mountains near Ivano-Frankivsk. After his arrest, he was taken to the police, where a detention report was drawn up.

The suspect is accused of leaving the military unit without permission, which is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 5 to 10 years. Due to the fact that the accused may have the ability to influence witnesses, including military personnel of the same unit, and persuade them to give false testimony, the investigator insisted on arresting him.

Given these circumstances, the court decided to grant the investigator's request to apply a preventive measure in the form of detention until May 12, 2025. In addition, the court set bail for the suspect in the amount of UAH 242,240.

If bail is granted, the suspect will have the following obligations: not to leave his place of residence without a court order, to report any changes in his place of residence, to refrain from communicating with other witnesses, and to surrender his passport for traveling abroad.

In early March, the trial of a former commander and ex-official accused of treason began in Mykolaiv. According to investigators, he collaborated with Russian special services, passed on information about the effects of shelling and tried to recruit the mayor of Ochakiv. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

In February, a driver who tried to transport men across the border was detained in Mykolaiv region. They paid ten thousand dollars and followed the stranger's instructions, but the attempted crossing was stopped by law enforcement.

Анна Бальчінос