Key facts
- Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation is probing the Skelia assault regiment.
- Media reports allege at least 26 noncombat deaths and abuse within the regiment.
- Allegations include inadequate medical care, coercion, and physical abuse of recruits.
- The regiment claims 18 deaths occurred in hospitals and that recruits were medically cleared.
- The Military Ombudsman's Office found a higher rate of noncombat deaths in Skelia.
Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation has initiated a pre-trial investigation into the 425th Separate Assault Regiment, known as Skelia, following allegations of abuse and at least 26 noncombat deaths among recruits. The probe was launched after a Ukrainian media outlet, Babel, published an investigation on June 23 citing testimonies from soldiers, relatives, and official documents. The report alleges inadequate medical care, coercion, and physical abuse, with many deaths occurring shortly after mobilization and training between late 2025 and spring 2026.
The regiment responded by stating that 18 of the 26 alleged deaths occurred in hospitals or en route, attributing them to poor health conditions. Skelia also noted that it receives personnel assigned by draft offices, who have passed medical assessments. The regiment's command expressed readiness to cooperate with law enforcement.
Skelia is one of Ukraine's largest assault formations, comprising over 10,000 personnel and regularly assigned high-risk operations. This is not the first controversy for the regiment, which faced criticism in April for tactics used in a failed assault. The Military Ombudsman's Office previously identified a higher proportion of noncombat deaths and a significant share of complaints originating from Skelia compared to other units.