The Skelya Regiment responded to the report on the deaths of recruits
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.
The 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelya” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Ground Forces commented on a media report regarding the deaths of recruits in the unit. The command stated that it had carefully reviewed the report and considers a thorough investigation of all the cited facts to be necessary.
The regiment emphasized that every loss of a servicemember is painful and requires a separate investigation, without generalizations or hasty conclusions. “We express our condolences to the families of all servicemembers who died while on duty. Every such loss is painful for their loved ones, fellow soldiers, and the entire regiment,” the statement reads.
The military emphasized that they do not agree with generalizations, which, in their opinion, paint a simplified picture of events and do not take all circumstances into account. “The article raises a number of serious issues that require careful investigation and verification. Our position is simple: each case must be considered separately,” the regiment noted.
Separately, “Skelya” pointed out that a significant portion of the deaths mentioned in the publication did not occur directly within the unit, but rather in medical facilities or during transport to them. The statement also emphasizes that these were people with varying health conditions who had already joined the military with certain pre-existing issues. “Of the 26 deaths mentioned, 18 occurred in a hospital or en route to a hospital, not at the regiment. And these deaths are actually linked to illnesses or the generally poor health of the mobilized personnel,” the military stated.
The unit also noted that it is not involved in mobilization and receives reinforcements through territorial recruitment centers with official conclusions from military medical commissions. “We receive reinforcements from the TCCs exclusively with positive conclusions from the military medical commissions, which are official documents,” the response states.
At the same time, the regiment stated that some of the testimonies used in the article may have come from individuals who refused to serve or violated discipline, and therefore require further verification as part of the investigation. “Most of the claims cited in the report are based not on documents, but on the testimony of individuals who refused to undergo training or left their military units without authorization,” the regiment noted.
The “Skely” command declared its readiness to fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies, the military ombudsman, and other bodies tasked with verifying these facts, and emphasized that it has no interest in concealing information. Separately, the regiment cited examples of inspections and criminal proceedings that have already taken place, which, according to them, demonstrate the effectiveness of internal mechanisms for responding to violations.
The military also called on journalists and the public to refrain from drawing final conclusions until all investigative actions are completed, stressing that only official investigations can establish the full picture of events. “We are not turning a blind eye to problems; we are working to resolve them,” the regiment concluded, adding that they are continuing combat operations while simultaneously improving internal procedures. This is stated in the regiment’s official statement on Telegram.
The 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelya” denied allegations of beating conscripts who later died, stating that the causes of death were primarily related to pre-existing 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.
