Ostap Stakhiv, whom Ukrainian media refer to as a "pseudo-activist," has gone AWOL (absent without leave) from the Ukrainian Navy training center, where he was sent following his mobilization in Lviv. This was reported on November 5, 2026, by Oleksandr Molodyi, a recruiter from the 38th Separate Marine Brigade's recruitment staff, in a comment to "Suspilne," as cited by RBC-Ukraine. According to him, Stakhiv’s absence from the training center was discovered during a morning roll call. A report on unauthorized departure from the unit has been filed, and the information has been transferred to the Military Law Enforcement Service, which is currently conducting a search.
Circumstances of the disappearance
According to the recruitment staff of the 38th Marine Brigade, it was established on the morning of November 5 during a routine check that Ostap Stakhiv was not on the training center's premises. Search efforts yielded no results. As Oleksandr Molodyi specified, a report was filed regarding the unauthorized departure, and search information was provided to the Military Law Enforcement Service. Thus, Stakhiv is officially listed as a serviceman who has left his unit without command permission.
Confession video and parties' statements
A video has been published on a Facebook page linked to Zhanna Novoseltseva, in which Ostap Stakhiv himself confirms that he has left the training center. In the video, he declares that he "does not consider himself mobilized" and announces his intention to head to Lviv. According to the same source, a case regarding the illegality of his mobilization has been initiated on Stakhiv’s behalf, and information about the incident has been forwarded to the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights and the office of the Temporary Investigative Commission involving MP Oleksiy Goncharenko. Reports also mention the commencement of a separate investigation by international organizations. These claims are not confirmed by independent sources at the time of publication.
Mobilization timeline
According to RBC-Ukraine, on October 31, 2026, Ostap Stakhiv was brought to one of the regional Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (TCC and SP) in Lviv. The grounds for his detention were violations of military registration rules—he had been wanted since March 6, 2026. On the same day, October 31, Stakhiv underwent a Military Medical Commission (VVK) examination. On November 2, the VVK declared him fit for military service, after which he was sent to a Ukrainian Armed Forces brigade—specifically the 38th Separate Marine Brigade of the Navy, where he was undergoing training until his disappearance.
Previous legal decisions
The story of Ostap Stakhiv began long before the current mobilization. In 2021, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) charged him with attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, linking his activities to Russian intelligence services. According to the investigation, Stakhiv may have disclosed the locations of Ukrainian military formations. Following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, law enforcement agencies allege he continued to spread disinformation. In October 2024, an appellate court denied a motion to change his pre-trial restrictions, and Stakhiv remained in a pre-trial detention center. At the beginning of December 2024, he was released on bail of 908,000 hryvnias.
Legal consequences of going AWOL
Unauthorized departure from a military unit during mobilization and wartime entails liability under the Criminal Code of Ukraine. If the search does not lead to Stakhiv’s voluntary return to the unit, a criminal case may be initiated against him under the relevant article. At the same time, if his supporters' claims regarding the illegality of his mobilization are confirmed by a court, this could provide grounds for a review of his legal status. Currently, the Military Law Enforcement Service is actively searching for him, and the final legal qualification of the incident remains an open question.
