Putin Promotes Commander Of Brigade That Committed Bucha Massacre To Colonel

Azatbek Omurbekov received the title that Lukashenka dreamed of.

The commander of the brigade that committed atrocities in Bucha, Kyiv region, became a colonel. This is the commander of the motorized rifle brigade Azatbek Omurbekov, reports "Agency. Novosti" with a reference to the Kremlin media.

They started calling Omurbekov a Colonel in the news, although until recently he was referred to as Lieutenant Colonel.

"For three weeks, under the leadership of Colonel Omurbekov, the units of the brigade at the occupied line repelled more than 50 enemy attacks using tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and heavy artillery," writes the Defense Ministry of the aggressor country.

At the same time, the publication does not say where the described events took place, nor does it specify which particular brigade the military man commands. However, earlier Ukrainian and some Western publications, as well as the publication of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, called Omurbekov the commander of the 64th separate motorized rifle brigade stationed in the Khabarovsk Territory.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, the soldiers of this brigade are responsible for the crimes in Bucha.

Omurbekov appears on the UK sanctions list as a Lieutenant Colonel. Also, this military rank of the Russian commander was indicated earlier in the Russian media.

Agency was unable to establish the exact date when Lieutenant Colonel Omurbekov became a Colonel. However, the photograph from November 8, 2021 shows that he has only two stars on his shoulder straps (corresponding to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel).

Putin also awarded the title of "Guards" to the 64th motorized rifle brigade, the soldiers of which committed atrocities in Bucha.

Also, Lukashenka repeatedly asked Putin to give him the rank of colonel in the Russian army.