Some of the 72 servicemen in Hadrut have died, no information on others yet; former commander charged

According to sufficient evidence obtained in the criminal case being investigated by the Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee, the former commander of the RA Armed Forces' rifle division has been charged with committing a crime under Part 4 of Article 375 of the RA Criminal Code (abuse of power, exceeding authority, or inactivity of authority).

Specifically, on September 27, 2020, in accordance with Government Decision No. 1586-N during a state of war, holding the position of commander of the rifle division and being a public official, he was obliged, according to a confidential order from the commander of the Defense Army dated October 11, 2020, to receive and accept 72 servicemen of Military Unit N under his command on the same day at the section referred to as the 9th kilometer of Hadrut district. However, he exhibited inactivity by not personally receiving them and failing to organize the reception of the personnel and the subsequent assignment of combat tasks.

As a result, the personnel found themselves in the administrative territory of Aygestan village of Hadrut district at noon on that day in vehicles transporting them, where several servicemen were killed due to enemy shelling and diversionary actions, and no information is available on the others to this day.

A measure to ensure his presence has been applied in the form of a signature not to leave. The preliminary investigation of the criminal case is ongoing.