Shabunin: They will send me and soldier without fingers to Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi to hang anti-drone nets

Shabunin is not being given the opportunity to defend himself in court: what is known?

The head of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, Vitalii Shabunin, stated that the soldier without fingers is being sent with him to Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi to hang anti-drone nets.

He reported this on Telegram, according to Censor.NET.

Shabunin also published a photo of his comrade's hand.

What is known?

"I suppose that sending me alone from the unit to a 10-kilometre kill zone would be suspicious, so they covered themselves with three more soldiers.

From our squad for hanging anti-drone nets: one is missing fingers, another has hearing impairments and can only hear an FPV drone during an explosion, two others are unable to climb ladders due to injuries, and one cannot shoot due to loss of vision.

Each of the guys has a decision from the Military Medical Commission, so I just can't imagine how such an order could be legal (even in theory). Tomorrow I will return from another round of interrogations and figure it out," he said.

According to Shabunin, the command of the 43rd SMB is transferring him to Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi according to Zelenskyy's security forces.

"So that I CANNOT:

1) punish the State Bureau of Investigation/Office of the Prosecutor General for leaking my private photo. A criminal complaint has been filed, and now it's up to the courts: to register the case, to recognise me as a victim, to conduct an investigation, etc.

2) defend myself in court against illegal criminal prosecution, the suspicion of which was handed to me in July this year.

Unfortunately, this is not the only decision by the brigade command, which, under pressure from the SBI, is making frankly absurd (and often illegal) decisions," he added.

Shabunin also recalled that earlier, the command of his unit falsified documents to declare him being in AWOL a day before he was at a court hearing in his case.

"And somehow, the deputy brigade commander knew and informed me about the cancellation of another court hearing against me a day (!) before the judge went on sick leave.

At some point, it became clear that the unit commanders were following the instructions of the SBI employees to do everything possible to keep me from attending the court hearings in Kyiv. Several people told me this directly.

Last week, I warned the command in writing that I had documented their illegal cooperation with the SBI. And I warned that I would be forced to respond (evidence)," he added.

Over the next few weeks, Shabunin is scheduled to attend a series of court hearings, which he will obviously be unable to reach from Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi.

"This is how the SBI/OPG, with the help of obedient commanders of the 43rd SMB, deprived me of the right to defend myself against illegal persecution.

Moreover, Dzerkalo Tyzhnia already writes directly that Zelenskyy is personally overseeing my case," he concluded.

The case of Vitalii Shabunin

As a reminder, on 11 July, employees of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) announced that they had notified Vitalii Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, that he was under suspicion.
Earlier it was reported that the SBI was conducting a search of the office of Vitalii Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, in the Chuhuiv district of Kharkiv region and at his home.
Recall that the head of the Anti-Corruption Centre said that MPs from the Servant of the People faction had registered bill No. 13271-1, which would allow officials to avoid punishment for corruption after leaving office. They plan to vote on it next week.
He also reported that on 3 June 2025, a regular session of the Verkhovna Rada was held, during which the "Servant of the People" faction supported a number of controversial bills.
In February 2025, Shabunin announced that he was being transferred from Kyiv to the Kharkiv region. He attributes this to his criticism of the authorities.
On 15 July, the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv chose a preventive measure for the head of the Anti-Corruption Centre, Vitalii Shabunin, in the form of a personal commitment until 20 August.
On 13 August, the SBI announced new charges against the commander of one of the military units in the Kyiv region and handed over the updated charges to Vitalii Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre.
On 14 August, the SBI announced that Shabunin would be tried for evading military service.