The commander of one of Ukraine’s largest assault units has been suspended following allegations of torture, abuse, and non-combat fatalities among recruits. Lt. Col. Yury Harkaviy, who leads the 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelia” (formerly “Skala”), was removed from duty pending inspections and investigations by the army’s communications service on Thursday.
The Ukrainian army stated: “If the facts of criminal offenses mentioned in the publications are confirmed, the guilty will definitely be held accountable in accordance with the law.”
An investigation reported severe mistreatment of mobilized soldiers at the regiment’s training sites. Citing relatives, former service members, and current recruits, the report documented at least 25 deaths occurring during or after participants passed through the unit’s training camps over six months. It detailed beatings, forced confinement, recruits being bound with tape or handcuffs, and instances where soldiers with serious health issues, addiction problems, or psychiatric conditions were sent into assault training despite military medical commissions declaring them fit for service.
One former recruit, Aleksandr Semyonov, reportedly arrived at a hospital in January with head wounds, lacerated arms, broken fingers, and abrasions after claiming he had been beaten and dragged along the ground while tied to a quad bike. He died days later from pneumonia listed as the cause of death.
Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation opened a pre-trial probe into possible abuse of authority by military officials under martial law following the report. “Skelia” denied systematic abuse, asserting the allegations require verification and that many deaths occurred in hospitals or en route to medical facilities due to illnesses or poor health among mobilized soldiers. The unit also noted that numerous claims originated from soldiers who had refused service, deserted, or violated discipline.
The scandal intensifies as Ukraine faces deepening manpower shortages after more than four years of conflict. Kiev has tightened mobilization rules and expanded compulsory recruitment, while Ukrainian media have repeatedly reported violent draft raids, deaths in conscription centers, and cases of seriously ill men being declared fit for service. Moscow has accused Ukraine of running out of willing soldiers and relying on coercive tactics to replenish battlefield losses, claiming Ukrainian authorities are sacrificing their own population to sustain fighting under Western backing.
