Ukraine's largest assault regiment commander suspended over torture and noncombat deaths of recruits

Suspension of 'Skala' Regiment Commander

Ukraine's General Staff announced on June 25 that Lieutenant Colonel Yuriy Harkavyi, commander of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment 'Skala,' has been suspended pending a probe into allegations of torture and deaths of servicemen. Skala is Ukraine's largest assault regiment with 13,000 personnel, directly under top military command, and has fought in tough sectors including Izium, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Pokrovsk.

Babel Investigation: Deaths and Torture

On June 23, Ukrainian outlet Babel published an investigation finding at least 25 recruits died from noncombat causes between late 2025 and spring 2026. The deceased, aged 31 to 53, were officially listed as dying from pneumonia or cardiovascular disease. Relatives reported signs of beatings and delayed medical care; some families learned of deaths later under unclear circumstances.

The investigation described systematic violence: beatings, humiliating punishments, forced confinement, and mining perimeters of training camps. The regiment also recruited people with addictions and mental illnesses without providing medical care.

Regiment and Officials' Response

The Skala regiment denied allegations, stating that 18 of the deaths occurred in hospitals or en route and were linked to illness or poor health. Andriy Suray, head of the regiment's civil-military cooperation group, said two deaths are under investigation and one suspect is in custody. Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation has opened a pretrial inquiry, and the Ground Forces Command is monitoring the case.

Military ombudsman Olha Reshetylova said her office identified abusive Skala instructors at training grounds as early as June 2025; they were barred from working with personnel, but the investigation has yet to yield results.