Key facts
- Oleh Shyriaiev, commander of Ukraine's 225th Assault Regiment, is accused of ordering troops to fire on retreating soldiers.
- A voice message allegedly from Shyriaiev instructed soldiers to consider any unannounced movement as the enemy.
- The investigation by Texty includes accounts from soldiers describing threats of being shot if they turned back.
- Soldiers also reported systemic beatings and being held against their will in makeshift prisons.
- The 225th Regiment denied using blocking forces in Zaporizhzhia Oblast but acknowledged an internal investigation into a beating in the Shkval battalion.
An investigation by Ukrainian outlet Texty alleges that Oleh Shyriaiev, commander of the 225th Assault Regiment, ordered his troops to fire on retreating fellow soldiers. The report, published on July 30, includes a voice message purportedly from Shyriaiev sent in late 2024 or early 2025 during fighting in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
In the voice message, the speaker allegedly states, "There is only a specific request over the radio: ‘permission to move.' Everything else is the enemy. Anything that’s moving is the enemy. Anyone fleeing their positions is a deserter — and they’re the enemy too. Stick to this rule."
The investigation details the alleged use of "blocking forces," a practice where retreating soldiers are shot or threatened with being shot, a tactic more commonly associated with the Russian army and its Wagner mercenary group. The report cites accounts from several soldiers, some anonymous, who served in the regiment, describing threats of being shot if they turned back before assaults. Soldiers from the regiment's Shkval prisoner battalion also described systemic beatings and being held against their will in makeshift basement prisons.
The 225th Assault Regiment, which has expanded significantly, fought in Chasiv Yar, led incursions into Kursk Oblast, and was later moved to the southern front line in Zaporizhzhia Oblast to stabilize defenses. The regiment's command denied allegations of using blocking forces in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in a Facebook post the day before the investigation's publication. However, the post acknowledged an incident involving a beating in the Shkval battalion and stated an internal investigation was underway.
Shyriaiev reportedly claimed his voice message was a reference to Russian soldiers infiltrating Ukrainian lines by wearing uniforms, thus any unannounced movement should be treated as hostile. He previously served in the nationalist formation East Corps and was associated with pro-Russian politician Illia Kyva from 2018 to 2019.
This investigation follows a series of revelations about conditions within some Ukrainian assault regiments. On July 29, the General Staff announced an audit into combat unit staffing and manpower distribution, likely aimed at addressing the prioritization of units like the 225th and 425th regiments.