FAKE: Order of the commander of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade on punishment of military personnel for LGBT relationships

In Russian channels, a photo of the order, allegedly signed by the commander of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade, Oleksandr Sak, is being distributed. The document prohibits LGBT service members from having relationships because it affects the unit’s combat effectiveness. For violating the ban, the commander threatens a tribunal under the laws of wartime.

However, this is a fake. There is no such order, and representatives of the LGBT community have the right to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

First, the existence of such an order was not reported in the Ukrainian mass media or state bodies. For the first time, a photo of the document appeared on the morning of July 20 in a number of Russian Telegram channels. However, none of them explained how they got the photo of the document.

Second, on one of the letters of the document it is indicated that it was agreed upon by the Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov and the head of the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service Nataliia Aliushyna. In a comment to the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council, Aliushyna confirmed that this was a fake order.

Third, the order is incorrectly drafted and contains a number of mistakes. Yes, examples of orders can be viewed on the website of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. The topic of the document (“About making changes…”, “About approval…”, etc.) is indicated on the left before the main text. Instead, the “Brigade Commander’s Order” does not specify the topic at all.

Also, at the end of the document, the expression “court under the laws of wartime” was used. There are no military tribunals in Ukraine, and military courts were abolished in 2010. Moreover, Ukraine is under martial law, not wartime.

There are representatives of the LGBT community in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other security forces. LGBT couples are denied the same rights as heterosexual couples. However, there is no evidence that they are systematically discriminated against in the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade or any other military unit. Citizens of Ukraine and foreigners can join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, regardless of their sexual orientation.