Abandoned on the Frontline: Inside the 210th Battalion’s Struggle

On September 26, 2024, under orders, the 210th Battalion moved into defensive positions in Hirnyk, under the command structure of the 59th Motorized Brigade. Initially, the battalion worked closely with the 59th Brigade to secure these defensive points. However, within two weeks, a rotation was conducted by higher command: the 59th Brigade was withdrawn and replaced by the 110th Mechanized Brigade, with 210th Battalion re-assigned to this new command. Although the battalion remained in its positions, this change marked the beginning of escalating difficulties for its personnel.

Shortly after the rotation, the 210th Battalion found itself under heavy and sustained enemy assaults. Despite repeated requests, the battalion reportedly received no artillery, mortar, or armored support from the 110th Brigade. Meanwhile, enemy forces consistently employed heavy weaponry, including drones, to reinforce their attacks. This lack of support left the 210th Battalion in an increasingly vulnerable position, taking a heavy toll on its personnel.

The situation deteriorated further when the battalion’s left flank collapsed due to a withdrawal by the neighboring 154th Battalion, resulting in a partial encirclement of the 210th Battalion’s positions. After weeks of relentless combat and mounting casualties, including an estimated 11 soldiers killed in action and 70 injured, the battalion decided to withdraw from Hirnyk, as no reinforcements or support materialized from the 110th Brigade.

The decision to pull back from Hirnyk did not come without consequence. Commanders from the 110th Brigade allegedly responded with threats against the 210th Battalion, including warnings of severe disciplinary actions or even execution should they leave their positions. These threats exacerbated the already dire morale and left many soldiers feeling abandoned. As the battalion’s trust in the 110th Brigade diminished, commanders issued additional unofficial orders via messaging apps, demanding the battalion redeploy to Hirnyk. Following these directives, a small group of personnel was reportedly sent back into Hirnyk, where at least one soldier has since gone missing.

By October 22, members of the 210th Battalion retreated to Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, seeking respite from the intense combat they had endured for nearly a month. Here, battalion personnel were informed of a letter allegedly filed by an official from the Moral and Psychological Support Unit, which accused most of the 210th Battalion soldiers of desertion. The letter, sent to law enforcement, apparently labeled those who withdrew from Hirnyk as deserters, even though some soldiers were still trapped in the encirclement, trying to extract themselves from enemy fire.

On October 23, the 110th Brigade reportedly resumed psychological pressure, urging soldiers to assume roles as assault troops and retake previously held positions. Most soldiers, citing extreme fatigue from sustained front-line engagements without artillery or armored support, refused to comply. The following night, at around 1:00 am on October 24, officers from the 110th Brigade, accompanied by armed personnel, allegedly arrived at the 210th Battalion’s rest areas. Witnesses claim that physical force was used to coerce soldiers into buses, with some even reporting live rounds fired to intimidate those who resisted. Several members of the 210th Battalion were reportedly detained and transported to an unknown location, while a few managed to escape.

Those soldiers not apprehended were ordered to regroup in Barvinkove, Kharkiv Oblast, as per unofficial instructions sent through messaging apps. As of October 24, 2024, no formal orders have been issued by higher command.

The story was shared on social medias by relatives of soldiers serving in 210th Territorial Defense Battalion. Previously, we reported on Lt. Col. Ihor Hryb, commander of the 186th Territorial Defense Battalion, who took his own life at headquarters following threats from higher command.