Maxim Golosnoy said that if the General Staff confirms reports of prolonged unarmed duty at a command post in a combat zone, the service members who remained on duty should be awarded.

Maxim Golosnoy has called for recognition of service members who, he said, spent extended periods on duty without weapons at an unguarded command post in a combat zone. He argued that awards could offer a small example of restoring justice if a comprehensive General Staff inspection confirms the circumstances.

if there is a combat order, it must be carried out despite all the difficulties.

According to Golosnoy, the officers and sergeants could have refused the assignment or gone absent without leave, but continued to serve despite understanding the danger. He said the alleged prolonged unarmed duty could be checked by comparing combat records, duty schedules and the dates weapons were entered in military IDs and officers’ certificates between 17 September 2025 and 23 March 2026.

Golosnoy said he was not seeking an award for himself, but believed recognition would matter to the personnel involved and could serve as a motivating example. He also argued that commanders who send subordinates on combat duty without weapons, or with one rifle for five service members, should not hold their ranks.

Earlier, Golosnoy said he had been sent to Donetsk region during a comprehensive General Staff inspection. He alleged that the military unit commander removed him from the NEBO air-alert group, while the chief of staff removed him from the general battalion group. He described the actions as deliberate exposure to danger and said, in his view, they could show signs of a criminal offence.