Czech Defense Minister orders dismissal of cyber forces commander

Czech Defense Minister Jaromír Zůna has ordered the dismissal and reassignment of Brigadier General Radek Haratek, head of the Information and Cyber Forces Command. The order follows an investigation by the Military Police into two projects, ‘Karel’ and ‘Volby 2025’.

The Military Police examined whether these projects, which involved monitoring media environments and information analysis, violated military regulations regarding command and control. Investigators found that Haratek may have bypassed standard chain-of-command protocols by issuing tasks directly to subordinate units outside of planned training exercises. While the investigation did not find sufficient evidence of a criminal offense, the matter has been referred to military leadership for disciplinary action.

Despite the Minister's directive, Chief of the General Staff Miroslav Hlaváč has maintained that Haratek retains his full confidence and continues to perform his duties. The Army has also stated it will cease the collection of information regarding social media users.