In an interview with Ukrainian TV channel 24, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Aleksandr Syrsky said that the battalion of the 102nd Territorial Defense Brigade, which abandoned its command post in Gulyaypole in the Zaporozhye region, had enough time to destroy all strategically important documents but failed to do so. He added that an investigation into the actions of the battalion commander has already been launched by the Military Law Enforcement Service, which will give a legal assessment of his decisions after establishing why he acted in this way.

According to Syrsky, the battalion commander had been ordered by the brigade commander to organize all-round defense and to destroy everything in the headquarters that could contain confidential information. He stressed that the battalion’s command had the time and opportunity to burn all materials before leaving the position.

Earlier, Russian assault units of the 60th separate motor rifle brigade of the «Vostok» grouping took control of the battalion headquarters of the 102nd Ukrainian Territorial Defense Brigade in Gulyaypole. Afterwards, media published footage from the captured facility showing maps, communications equipment and Ukrainian flags left behind.

On 26 December, Vladislav Voloshin, a representative of the Ukrainian Defense Forces South, also stated that the command had opened an inquiry into the fact that troops of the 102nd brigade abandoned the command post, leaving personal belongings that could contain important information.