Combat commander Chekmaz "Izhak" ("Hedgehog"-ed.) is charged with misappropriation of bulletproof vests. However, they were of poor quality and it would be illegal to register them, - lawyer
This was reported by lawyer Vitalii Kolomiiets in a comment to Censor.NET.
"In June 2022, he was appointed commander of a separate battalion (55th Separate Special Forces Battalion - Ed.). And in May (2022 - Ed.), Polish volunteers (delivered by Polish volunteer Hernik Wojciech and the NGO "Ukrainian Cluster of Innovative Development". - Ed.) brought 300 bulletproof vests. They left them in a truck, and no one could accept them because they had no documents. To register a military unit, you need a quality certificate with test reports, a passport for each bulletproof vest. Also, invoices and accounting documents. It took a long time to get the vehicle registered. They said, "The oath is in, let the guys put on the vests. They put them on, then returned them to the warehouse, because they could not be forced to give them to people without understanding the quality and origin of these vests. Since they were not used "Izhak" ("Hedgehog"-ed.) said: "I don't force anyone to wear them if they want to voluntarily. We have these bulletproof vests, you can come and take them voluntarily upon application," he said.
The defense claims that the bulletproof vests were transferred without a passport and packing list, as well as without acceptance tests and positive results of previous periodic tests, and without shipping documents that determine the cost and name and are the basis for accounting.
According to the lawyer, about 200 people agreed to take them. Subsequently, the soldiers who received the vests tested them at a shooting range and found that they did not have a sufficient level of protection. After learning about this, other soldiers refused to take such vests, as receiving them would deprive them of the opportunity to receive a vest with a sufficient level of protection in the future.
Chekmaz was deprived of the legal opportunity to register the bulletproof vests. Moreover, registering personal protective equipment for military personnel without the relevant documents on the quality of such equipment is a crime. After all, the bulletproof vests registered with the military unit are actually required to be worn by the soldiers on a compulsory basis.
"100 remained unclaimed. When this military unit was being reformatted, the new leadership also refused to accept them because they did not have the documents to register the military unit. This is what the leadership told "Izhak" ("Hedgehog"-ed.) literally when asked what to do with the bulletproof vests: "Do whatever you want. You did not accept them for the military unit, you accepted them personally."
Indeed, there is a procedure in Ukraine where volunteers hand over some property directly to a soldier. But he said: "I simply could not physically register the items with the military unit, directly with me as a commander. If I register them with the military unit, the soldiers will have to wear them as personal protective equipment," Kolomiiets continued.
Subsequently, the lawyer noted, proceedings began and searches were conducted.
"Although there were already requests before the searches. "Izhak" ("Hedgehog"-ed.) said that there were these bulletproof vests, take them for testing, certify them, or conduct an examination. The investigation did nothing on its part. After searches at the places where they thought he personally kept them, they found nothing at home. And then he said that they were in the old warehouse. He took them to the old warehouse and gave them the vests. He thought that somehow, through the examination within the criminal case, they would certify them and it would be possible to distribute them. The investigators did nothing. Instead, they charged him with misappropriation of military property. The man was charged with a particularly serious crime. There is no benefit, no fact of sale - zero," he added.
It is noted that Chekmaz did not personally accept the bulletproof vests, as such assistance was received at the end of May 2022, and the order on his appointment as battalion commander was dated June 2022.
He is charged with Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - misappropriation of another's property by abuse of office in a particularly large scale. At the same time, for more than a year of investigation, there has been no record of Chekmaz selling bulletproof vests or using all 300 bulletproof vests for personal needs.
