The Command Will Conduct an Investigation in the Brigade that Defended Vuhledar: What Was the Cause.

The command of the 123rd Territorial Defense Brigade will conduct a service investigation regarding the death of one of the battalion commanders, Ihor Hryb. It was reported that he committed suicide at the command-observation post during a combat mission on the Vuhledar direction. This was reported on the page of the 123rd TrO Brigade.

They stated that Ihor Hryb was devoted to military affairs, cared for the personnel, and did not stand aside from the problems of his military collective. They stated that the circumstances of his death are being established and a service investigation is ongoing.

We all need to understand and give the brigade leadership and command Time to figure out the circumstances within the military collective and resolve all problematic issues for the further execution of combat tasks by the personnel. We will continue to inform

At the same time, “Suspilne”, citing sources among the military and received frontline reports, writes that the preliminary cause of Ihor Hryb's death is suicide, committed at the command-observation post during a combat mission on the Vuhledar direction.

Thus, one of the brigade fighters told the publication that a few days before his death, the battalion commander gathered all his fighters and informed them that two units were to enter their combat positions.

We had to be there constantly. He said we would pass a checkpoint through which we couldn't exit. Two units enter, if they lay down, another two come to their place, if they lay down, there will be no one to enter. The commander said we have a night to live through with this and consider what decision we will make

Then, according to the fighter, part of the military left the unit without permission, while others “gathered and went further, hoping that maybe something would change and the brigade would be withdrawn”. A few days later, information appeared that Ihor Hryb had committed suicide.

Another serviceman, Volodymyr Boiko, on his Facebook page also claimed that Ihor Hryb committed suicide after some of his subordinates left positions near Vuhledar.

Occupation of Vuhledar

As it is known, on October 1, information appeared that the Russian army occupied Vuhledar in the Donetsk region. According to ISW, as of October 1, the occupiers established control over the settlement, likely after the retreat of Ukrainian forces. According to analysts, Ukrainian soldiers conducted a planned withdrawal from Vuhledar to avoid encirclement. Russian sources claim that the retreat of Ukrainian forces began at the end of September 30.

Later, on October 2, the higher command confirmed that permission was granted for a maneuver to withdraw Ukrainian defenders from Vuhledar. This was done in order to preserve personnel and combat equipment, as well as to occupy a position for further action.

Press officer of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine named after Black Zaporizhians, Arseniy Prilipka, also stated that the evacuation of wounded soldiers from Vuhledar in the Donetsk region was difficult, but leaving the city allowed Ukrainian troops to minimize losses.