General accused of botching Kharkiv defense released from detention facility, lawyer says

The Kyiv Court of Appeal has released Lieutenant General Artur Horbenko from a detention facility and placed him under house arrest until March 20, online newspaper Ukrainian Pravda reported on Feb. 27, citing his lawyer Maksym Tkhorivsky.

Horbenko, along with General Yurii Halushkin and Colonel Illia Lapin, was arrested on Jan. 21 on charges of mismanaging Ukraine's defense in Kharkiv Oblast during Russia's cross-border offensive in May 2024.

Horbenko is suspected of negligence in military service.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) accused the three officers of failing to properly fortify the region and use all available resources to repel Russian forces.

Russia's offensive into northeastern Kharkiv Oblast saw rapid advances of several kilometers, prompting criticism of military and regional leadership for inadequate defensive preparations.

Although Ukrainian forces eventually stalled the Russian advance roughly 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of Kharkiv, the initial breach raised concerns over strategic failures.

Halushkin was accused of assigning inadequate defensive positions to the 125th Territorial Defense Brigade, which was under Horbenko's command, and failing to provide sufficient artillery and air support.

While Horbenko will remain under house arrest, the status of the other detained officers remains unchanged.