Attacks on military personnel and the Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support (TCRC) represent a red line that must not be crossed. Strong measures from the authorities and punishment for the perpetrators are necessary. This was stated by the Commander of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Major General Mykhailo Drapaty, on his Facebook page.
"The killing of military personnel in the rear is a red line that must not be crossed. We cannot remain silent in the face of the growing wave of disdain for the defenders of Ukraine – this is beyond what can be tolerated. Nothing happens suddenly. We have already witnessed cases of humiliation and aggression against our defenders, yet I have not seen a strong societal reaction to this. Now we are facing direct armed attacks...
There are no justifications for the murder of a serviceman and the assault on the TCRC. A swift and harsh response from the authorities is the only possible reaction in this situation of lawlessness against military personnel. Without just punishment for the killers, gloaters, and traitors, we will see even more of our comrades killed in the rear," emphasized the military leader.
According to him, the only thing separating Ukraine from the enemy is the Defense Forces of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"As we lose our best people on the front lines, we must not lose our conscience in the rear. Disregard for a person at the pixel level begins where dignity ends. We must respect those who have taken up arms and, at the cost of their own lives, protect our cities, the people within them, our borders, skies, lands, our state, our flag, our home," the statement reads.
As reported, at a gas station in the city of Pyriatyn, Poltava region, during the escort of conscripts to a training center, an unknown individual shot a serviceman from the Poltava TCRC, took his rifle, and fled with one of the mobilized individuals.
Recall that on January 26, President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Major General Mykhailo Drapaty as the commander of the Joint Forces Operation "Khortytsia."
It is worth noting that in February 2024, he was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff for military training, and in May became the new commander of the Joint Forces Operation in Kharkiv, successfully holding back the advance of Russian troops in the Kharkiv region.