The authorities must begin to act responsibly: Ukraine needs support for its defenders, not trials against them.
Today, the authorities are demonstrating actions that are unimaginable in a democratic country. Military personnel and officers, who were previously released on bail, have been rearrested following trials over accusations of failing to defend the Kharkiv region.
Yes, we all strive for justice. Especially on sensitive issues related to the loss of territories and lives. However, in their attempts to shift the blame for miscalculations in the war, the authorities have no right to resort to the worst methods.
Ukrainians vividly remember the events from three years ago. Many of those who today judge the military simply fled back then. It was the Ukrainian people and the Armed Forces of Ukraine who stopped Russia. Defenders were prayed for, not thrown behind bars. The military were respected, not made scapegoats. Now, three years later, we see a fundamentally different attitude from the authorities towards the military. The detention of generals sets a dangerous precedent. It poses a direct threat to the army's ability to confront the enemy.
Moreover, it is absurd that civilian investigators are examining the actions of military personnel while civilian courts are handling these cases. This should be the responsibility of specialized military justice bodies. Such systems have long been in place in NATO countries. Yet, in Ukraine, the authorities are blocking the establishment of military justice, despite the urgent need for it.
The central government must finally stop delaying the reform of military justice and provide the army with the necessary tools to protect not only our state but also the military from politically motivated persecution.
The state leadership should finally begin to act responsibly and consider the consequences of their decisions for national security. Today, more than ever, Ukraine needs unity, trust, and support for its defenders, but only when every soldier knows that they are valued, protected, and their actions assessed fairly. When they feel a sense of unity and see the authorities not as an enemy, but as a partner.