Verkhovna Rada deputy Iryna Gerashchenko on Monday, July 4 will sign the deputy's appeal requesting him to be released on bail.
Valentyn Lykholit was the commander of the territorial defense Aidar battalion. His callsign was “Batia” (Pappa).
“I was amazed by the decision to remand him to pre-trial confinement. My counterparts and I, who have known Valentyn for about two years, will sign an appeal requesting that he be released on bail,” Gerashchenko wrote on her Facebook page on Saturday.
The Verkhovna Rada deputy noted that Lykholit is known for the discipline he demanded from his volunteer soldiers. She said he was not rude like many other volunteer battalion commanders.
“I know that war is a terrible thing, where anything can happen: looting and violence. For example, if heroes are involved in criminal activities, they should also be brought to justice. Lykholit is an Afghan war veteran, who experienced the worst days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He didn’t commit an offense warranting his arrest. This is what I believe and the reason why I will sign a request to release him on bail,” Gerashchenko said.
As reported, on July 2 Kyiv’s Pechersk District Court arrested the commander of the territorial defense battalion Aidar Valentyn Lykholit for two months without bail.
In turn, deputies and activists blocked the entrance of Pechersk district court to prevent transferring Lykholit to a pretrial detention facility.
