Skelia Commander Suspended Amid Probe Into Alleged Abuse and Training-Camp Deaths

The commander of Ukraine’s 425th Separate Assault Regiment, Lt. Col. Yuriy Harkaviy, has been suspended from duty as the Ukrainian military investigates alleged violations of soldiers’ rights, the Ukrainian army said on June 25.

The elite assault formation – known as “Skelia” – is under scrutiny following a Babel investigation published June 23, which alleged abuse within the unit and at least 26 non-combat deaths among recruits.

“From June 24, for the duration of the inspections and investigations, the regiment commander was suspended from duty,” the Ukrainian army’s communications service said in a statement sent to several media outlets.

“If the facts of criminal offenses mentioned in the publications are confirmed, the guilty will definitely be held accountable in accordance with the law,” it added.

The Babel report alleged 26 deaths in Skelia’s training camps over the past six months, alongside claims of abuse and torture of conscripts, citing testimony from relatives and former soldiers.

A day after the report, Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation opened a pre-trial probe into possible abuse of authority under martial law, saying it is examining whether military officials may have acted unlawfully and caused serious consequences. No findings have been released.

In a statement on Wednesday, the regiment said the report raised “serious issues” requiring “verification.” It also said that of the 26 deaths cited, 18 occurred in hospital or en route to medical facilities, attributing them to “illnesses or poor health” among mobilized soldiers.

Other Topics of Interest

Russian Military Recruitment Falls Across Country

Sources told Verstka that recruitment has declined despite record financial incentives, as officials reportedly explore new reserve rotations and potential mobilization measures.

Skelia added that it could not confirm the circumstances described in the investigation and said all claims must be independently checked.

Skelia, one of Ukraine’s largest assault formations with more than 10,000 personnel, has reportedly suffered above-average battlefield losses and is regularly deployed in high-risk operations.

It was expanded under Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky as part of efforts to build specialized assault units and absorb large numbers of newly mobilized soldiers.

After four years of full-scale war with Russia, Ukraine’s armed forces are facing persistent manpower shortages and growing reliance on newly mobilized conscripts.

While volunteer enlistment surged after Russia’s 2022 invasion, recruitment has since shifted overwhelmingly to compulsory mobilization.