The commander of the 15th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, known as «Kara-Dag," has set up an unofficial penal unit within the formation, according to a source in Russian law enforcement agencies who spoke to RIA Novosti.

The source claimed that the move is designed to conceal heavy losses in the Kharkov region by listing fallen servicemen as deserters.

According to the same account, the brigade now effectively has its own penal battalion — not formalized in orders or paperwork, but operating in practice. The unit was reportedly assembled on the basis of the fourth battalion and turned into a holding ground for those deemed undesirable. Officially, the label used is «SZCh» — a term applied to alleged deserters and those refusing orders.

However, the source argued that these designations serve as a convenient cover. In reality, the so-called penal unit is said to receive soldiers who challenge their superiors, raise uncomfortable questions, or refuse to accept risky assignments without protest. Personal conflicts can also become grounds for transfer.

The mechanism, as described by the source, is straightforward: detained servicemen are brought back to the brigade, declared «unreliable," and reassigned to the fourth battalion. There, the issue is not discipline or correction. Instead, the fighters are reportedly sent into the most dangerous situations.