Реакція “Скелі” на розслідування щодо 26 загиблих новобранців: пояснення ситуації

The “Skela” Regiment has responded to an investigation into alleged violations of the rights of mobilized soldiers and deaths in training centers.

The 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skela” has reacted to a journalistic investigation concerning alleged systemic violations of the rights of mobilized personnel and 26 fatalities within the regiment’s training centers over the past six months.

Andriy Suray, head of the civil-military cooperation group of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skela,” stated on air with Radio Svoboda that investigations are ongoing into two of the 26 reported cases.

“Regarding these 26 deaths: an investigation is underway for two of them. We are fully cooperating with it. For one case, there is a suspect whom we handed over, and he is in custody. For another, it was the one who fell from a tree… We are interested in the investigation proceeding,” Suray said.

He also noted that not all cases mentioned in the report, in his opinion, may indicate violence or a crime.

“But if a 53-year-old person died of alcoholic cardiomyopathy, without signs of violence, then what is there to investigate?” stated the regiment’s representative.

Separately, Suray commented on the story of Oleksandr Semenov, which journalists from “Babel” cited in their investigation. The publication claimed that the man fled the regiment due to mistreatment and subsequently sought medical help at a hospital in Kropyvnytskyi, where he told doctors about being beaten. A few days after the recording of their conversation, he died in the hospital from pneumonia.

According to the “Skela” representative, Semenov voluntarily left the unit “during transit.” He stated that an investigation had already been conducted into this matter. At the same time, the statements Semenov made in the hospital were not separately verified because he died a few days later, and they did not have time to question him.

Suray also questioned Semenov’s claims that he allegedly witnessed nine suicides in four days.

“He spoke about nine suicides happening in his presence. The only surname he mentioned was indeed a suicide. And this suicide is registered. The police were called. The police investigated the scene and determined that, yes, a person had indeed taken their own life, unfortunately. But we have no record of any other eight,” he said.

The regiment’s representative acknowledged that there had been other suicide cases in “Skela.” However, according to him, they occurred at different locations and involved individuals whom Semenov could not have possibly seen.

Deaths in the “Skela” Regiment: what is known

Earlier, the publication “Babel” released an investigation into the 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skela.” According to journalists, from the end of 2025 to the spring of 2026, there were at least 26 non-combat deaths among the regiment’s recruits.

The report indicated that the primary causes of death cited included pneumonia, cardiovascular diseases, and other illnesses that developed shortly after mobilization.

At the same time, relatives of some of the deceased and individual witnesses reported potential issues with medical supply and incidents of violence against recruits. The regiment itself rejects most of these accusations.

According to “Babel,” the number of complaints about the unit began to rise after “Skela” was expanded from a battalion to a regiment at the end of 2025.

The Office of the Military Ombudsman noted that the number of non-combat deaths in “Skela” is higher than in many other military units, although the difference is not drastic. The system of medical provision raises the most questions for inspectors.

Additionally, according to the Office of the Military Ombudsman, the regiment accounts for 5.1% of over 9,000 appeals from military personnel. However, they emphasize that the actual number of complaints may be higher, as not all soldiers have the opportunity to report problems.

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Source: tsn.ua