The commander of "Svoboda" explained which remark led to him receiving a reprimand during the war
Lieutenant Colonel Petro Kuzyk, commander of the “Svoboda” Battalion of the “Rubizh” Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard, spoke about the only disciplinary reprimand he has received since the start of the full-scale war. According to him, he received the punishment not because of a combat error or a breach of duty, but because of an emotional remark about members of parliament that he made during an interview.
Kuzyk noted that it was then that he particularly felt the difference between his own vision of military service and the approach of part of the command.
Petro Kuzyk recalled saying that it would be worthwhile to create a “parliamentary battalion” and send lawmakers to the front lines so they could experience combat firsthand.
“I said that in the heat of the moment. But then it made its way into the media—‘parliamentary battalion.’ And an order came from above: punish Kuzik, because he’s taking too many liberties,” the soldier explained.
According to him, the situation was reviewed at the command level at the time. He was summoned to a debriefing attended by the unit’s staff and leadership.
“I was still a captain at the time. There were a dozen distinguished colonels and lieutenant colonels sitting there. They played my interview and asked, ‘How could you?’” Kuzik recalls.
He says he tried to explain his position: he didn’t deny that he had spoken harshly, but he didn’t consider his words to be untrue or offensive.
“I said, ‘Okay, I said that emotionally. But what exactly is untrue? I was just saying that the people who make decisions about war need to understand what the front lines are like,’” he explained.
According to Petro Kuzyk, it was then that he felt a stark contrast between his own vision of military service and the approach of part of the command.
“It was as if we were speaking different languages. I tried to explain my position, but in response I was told that I had ‘betrayed my family’ and was overstepping my bounds,” the commander said.
He compared this situation to Soviet party meetings in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
“I felt as if I had walked into a party meeting. When what matters most isn’t the content of what you said, but the very fact that you said it,” Kuzik noted.
The military officer spoke about this on the program “Critical Thinking” on “Apostrophe TV.”
