First Death Reported in the New 50th Mechanized Brigade

The first reported death involving a serviceman assigned to Ukraine’s newly established 50th Separate Mechanized Brigade is under criminal investigation after 46-year-old Volodymyr Khoma died less than 24 hours after being mobilized and sent to a military training center, Zaxid.net reports.

Khoma, a resident of Lviv and father of six, was mobilized on June 13 by the Sheptytskyi Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center (TCC) after being stopped while walking to work, according to his family. Later that day, he was transferred to a training center in the Zhytomyr region to begin basic military training.

On the evening of June 14, just one day after his mobilization, Khoma died before completing even the first stage of his training.

Brigade Says He Never Reached the Unit

Military officials confirmed that Khoma had been formally assigned to Military Unit A5348, the newly created 50th Separate Mechanized Brigade, whose formation began in the spring of 2026 as part of Ukraine’s Ground Forces.

However, brigade spokesman Senior Lieutenant Andrii Nechytailo said Khoma never physically arrived at the brigade because all newly mobilized personnel first undergo basic military training.

“He never arrived at the military unit—we never saw him and did not know him,” Nechytailo told. According to the brigade, the training center informed the unit two days later that the serviceman had died after suffering cardiac arrest.

Family Learned About Death Nearly Two Weeks Later

Khoma’s relatives say they were never informed by either military authorities or the training center that he had died. Instead, they spent nearly two weeks searching for him after losing contact on June 14. During that time, they say they repeatedly contacted military hotlines and recruitment offices, where they were told he was alive and well.

Only on June 25, after conducting their own search, did the family learn from third parties that Khoma had died on June 14. An official notification delivered the following day listed only “biological death” as the cause of death and, according to the family, provided no explanation of the circumstances.

Family Disputes Official Cause

A preliminary forensic examination identified the cause of death as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition capable of causing sudden cardiac death.

Khoma’s family disputes that conclusion. After viewing his body at a morgue in Zviahel, relatives said they observed multiple injuries, including bruising and abrasions, which they believe warrant investigation as a possible violent death. They have also questioned how Khoma was declared fit for military service during his medical examination earlier this year if he suffered from a serious heart condition.

Criminal Investigation Underway

Police in the Zhytomyr region opened criminal proceedings the day after Khoma’s death under Article 115 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code, the standard legal classification used when investigating unexplained deaths, with an initial notation of presumed natural death.

According to police, Khoma was found without signs of life in a tent at the training center. Authorities stated that the initial examination found no obvious indications of a violent death but emphasized that the final conclusions will depend on the results of the forensic investigation.

The Specialized Defense Prosecutor’s Office for the Central Region said investigators are examining all aspects of the incident, including the medical care provided and the actions of military personnel.