Armed with axes, brothers attacked Bukovyna military officers to avenge their son who went missing in the war

The Putyl District Court in the Chernivtsi region sentenced two brothers from Bukovina, one of whom in the spring drove his car into staff from the Territorial Recruitment Center and then attacked them with an axe. The defendants received prison sentences of over three years.

The court’s verdict, dated September 26, was published in the Unified State Register of Court Decisions.

The 43-year-old and 28-year-old defendants admitted their guilt in committing hooliganism.

During the court session, the elder brother explained that he attacked the recruitment officers out of anger over his son, who had gone missing in the war. He said that on that day, he was returning from work in the forest and saw staff from the Territorial Recruitment Center near the “Holecha” checkpoint, with his younger brother on horseback nearby. As he drove past, his vehicle, which had faulty brakes, hit the military’s car. To check what had happened, he turned around and approached the recruitment officers.

Upon exiting his vehicle, he immediately grabbed an axe and approached the officers. He swung the axe at one of them, but only to intimidate them—he did not intend to strike. He then, out of anger, hit their car with the axe, fearing that one of the officers might have a weapon, as stated in the court ruling.

The man added that he had no reason to argue with the recruitment officers, claiming that they started the conflict because they were “illegally stationed at the checkpoint.” He also mentioned that he had previously encountered one of the officers at the district’s recruitment center, where he had come to inquire about his missing son. This meeting, he said, fueled his anger toward the recruitment staff.

The younger brother testified that he had never been stopped at a checkpoint before, but on that day, he was stopped for a document check, which led to the argument. He also revealed that he had served in the “Da Vinci Wolves” battalion but had never received his salary or an official discharge order.

The brothers’ defense lawyer argued in court that there was no basis for their conviction, as their actions did not constitute a criminal offense. The brothers apologized to the injured recruitment officer.

The court sentenced the 43-year-old brother to three years and six months in prison, while the 28-year-old received a sentence of three years and three months. They still have the right to appeal the verdict in the appellate court.

It is worth noting that in early March, a video surfaced online showing a man running over military recruitment officers with his car and then attacking them with an axe.

Later, the man said that the attack was motivated by revenge for his son, who had gone missing after being mobilized.