Military Town Command “Cancels” New Year for Desna Residents

Permission was not granted despite residents' requests.

Head of the Desna Territorial Community Yurii Ostashevskyi reported that the command of the military town is not allowing him to organize a New Year celebration for local residents: planting a live Christmas tree in the park and connecting festive lights. He wrote about this on Facebook.

“As head of the community, a father and a grandfather, I wanted to be Santa Claus for a while and took the initiative to create a fairy-tale location in the old park. I intended to plant a live tree that would grow over the years and decorate the park and New Year in Desna. Unfortunately, permission for the installation was not received. Deputy for the 2nd District Serhii Solodkyi and head of the KEch (Quartering and Operations Unit — ed.) Serhii Zhuravel did not approve the installation, the connection of the lights to the network, or the planting of the tree,” Ostashevskyi reported.

It should be noted that the aforementioned Serhii Solodkyi is a serviceman and a deputy of the Desna village council, who has effectively cancelled the New Year celebration for the residents of the community that elected him.

At the same time, the head of the territorial community stated that the tree will still be set up, just in another town.

“The holidays are coming, people are tired of quarantine, why take the celebration away from people?! The tree will definitely be set up. I will announce the new location within the community's territory later,” Ostashevskyi added.

Comments from outraged Desna residents appeared under his post: they considered the park an ideal location for the tree and were upset by the military's decision. In people's opinion, the community has long been due to take over the civilian facilities of the town: “They are trying to steal the New Year from us!”, “The town with the tree will be on another territory of our community. In some village like Karpylivka, Morovsk, etc.”, “The lawlessness of the military and the KEch has already crossed all lines and reached its limit. It is long past time to transfer the town to the community's balance”, “After this one wants to ask: whom do the deputies serve? The residents or the military?”.

According to Desna residents, the military does not properly maintain buildings and territories, although they receive regular payments for this. The Desna Territorial Community has been expressing readiness since 2019 to take over the civilian facilities of the town. If this had happened today, residents could have set up a New Year tree and lights without unnecessary obstacles.

Deputy Serhii Solodkyi, who did not allow the installation of the tree and lights, is a serviceman of the 169th Training Centre “Desna” named after Yaroslav the Wise. The head of the centre is Major General Viktor Nikoliuk.

On December 12, Ground Forces Day of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the 169th Training Centre “Desna” named after Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Recall that earlier it became known that the former head of the Main Quartering and Operations Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is suspected of embezzling UAH 20 million during the purchase of apartments in Kharkiv.