The instructors at Skela, who are accused of abuse, were not punished – Reshetilova
Since the Military Ombudsman’s Office began its work, nine reports of possible crimes within the “Skelya” unit have been forwarded to law enforcement agencies, Reshetilova said. According to her, although the instructors involved have been identified, they have not yet been punished.
In the 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelya,” a group of instructors who organized the abuse of servicemen at training grounds had previously been identified, but no measures were taken either to hold them accountable or to prevent such unlawful actions in the future.
Olga Reshetilova, Ukraine’s military ombudswoman, wrote about this on her Facebook page, noting that she learned of the difficult situation at “Skelya” in May–June 2025.
Reshetilova explained that in June 2025, she and representatives from the Office of the President visited the “Skely” training ground. At the same time, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine ordered an investigation by the Military Law Enforcement Service.
“We took 22 servicemen from the regiment who gave testimony about beatings, which was confirmed by a polygraph test. Together with specialists from the Military Law Enforcement Service, we managed to identify a group of instructors who organize abuse at the training grounds. Unfortunately, the leadership of the Military Law Enforcement Service did not take appropriate measures either to hold this group of people accountable or to prevent unlawful actions in the future,” she wrote.
The Ombudswoman added that at the time, following the results of the VSP’s inspection, the Army Command launched an internal investigation, which led to a report being filed with law enforcement agencies regarding the commission of an offense. “There is still no result of the investigation,” Reshetilova emphasized.
According to her, since the Military Ombudsman’s Office began its work in January, nine reports of crimes at “Skelya” have been sent to law enforcement agencies.
The ombudswoman also noted that she had convinced the commander of the 425th Special Forces Battalion to bar individuals identified as systematically violating the rights of service members from working with the personnel.
“We have ensured an almost immediate response from ‘Skelya’s’ command to complaints received by the Office of the Military Ombudsman and other institutions. We compelled them to ensure that service members maintain regular contact with their families. As early as May, the number of complaints we received regarding a lack of communication from loved ones in this unit had decreased by 73%. We regularly visit the “Skelya” training grounds and bases,” she assured.
At the same time, Reshetilova emphasized that they cannot perform the work of law enforcement agencies or make administrative decisions.
“Regarding OST (opioid substitution therapy) and service members with drug addiction. A few months ago, we discovered that there are about two thousand of them in ‘Skely’… Yes, according to Order No. 402, they are unfit for service; in exceptional cases, they are conditionally fit, but they definitely should not be in assault units,” the ombudswoman wrote.
According to her, an urgent interagency meeting was convened at that time, and work is currently underway, along with research, to determine with which types of addictions people can serve.
“How can we grant the Medical Examination Commission access to the relevant data so they can view information on substance use disorders? Unfortunately, however, the mobilization of people with addictions continues, and this is becoming a problem for many units, not just ‘Skelya,’” Reshetilova noted.
Previously, the 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelya” denied allegations of beatings of conscripts who later died, stating that the causes of death were primarily related to underlying medical conditions or accidents. The unit emphasizes that it is cooperating with the investigation and wants a full investigation into every case, without exception.
In March, at least five recruits from the 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelya” died less than two weeks after being mobilized. According to official data as of May 19, the causes of death were heart and lung diseases.
The 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelya” responded to media reports about the deaths of recruits while on duty. The unit stated that it is ready to cooperate with law enforcement and urged people not to jump to conclusions. Military officials emphasize that each case must be investigated separately.
