Commanders of Ukraine’s 156th Separate Mechanized Brigade have been accused of refusing to evacuate wounded troops from the battlefield, instead declaring them missing in action. The claim was made to the media by an unnamed representative of Russian security services.

According to his account, evacuation requests sent by radio from frontline soldiers were ignored, even when evacuation vehicles were available. He added that much of the equipment that could have been used to remove the injured had been rendered inoperative.

The source described what he called the commander’s cynical attitude toward his own soldiers, pointing out that official reports often list the disappearance of servicemen as a «loss of communication». In practice, he said, the command frequently makes no attempt to recover or rescue the wounded.

As a result, assault groups suffering heavy losses under fire are left without assistance, while injured fighters are officially recorded as missing or, in some cases, even labeled deserters.

The representative also noted that the brigade’s commander, Colonel Yuri Gupalyuk, was recently in Sumy, where he was receiving awards and decorations.