The Rock confirmed that two of their fighters had been taken prisoner
The 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelya” confirmed that two Ukrainian soldiers who appeared in a video released by Russian propagandists were taken prisoner during the fighting in Kostiantynivka. The unit emphasized that this does not mean the city has been lost or that the operation has failed, and stated that they will work to bring their soldiers home.
The 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelya” issued an official statement after footage appeared online showing two Ukrainian soldiers whom the Russian side claimed were prisoners of war. The story began on July 18, when the regiment reported a successful mop-up operation in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast. At that time, the military released a video showing Ukrainian soldiers raising the national flag. “The city is under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the regiment stated at the time.
The next day, Ukrainian Telegram channels shared footage showing two “Skelya” soldiers standing with Ukrainian flags. Portraits of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi were also attached to the flags.
However, just a few hours later, Russian propaganda outlets published another video. It shows the same soldiers, now under the control of Russian occupiers, claiming that they had been taken prisoner. In the recording, the soldiers are also forced to say that they were allegedly sent to Kostiantynivka, even though, according to the occupiers, the city was already under the control of Russian troops. Afterward, Ukrainian flags are ostentatiously thrown to the ground, and the Russian tricolor is unfurled in their place.
The “Skelya” Regiment confirmed that the soldiers in the video are indeed their own. “For the regiment, the capture of our comrades is extremely painful news. But the most important thing is that our fighters are alive, and the regiment will facilitate all necessary procedures for their return home as soon as possible,” the statement reads.
The unit also reported that during those same battles, Ukrainian troops captured two Russian occupiers. “Skelya” emphasized that the appearance of a video showing the prisoners does not indicate a change in the situation on the battlefield. “War is not just about victories. The successful completion of a combat mission does not mean there were no casualties. After any mop-up operation, the enemy attempts to retake lost positions and launches counterattacks. The display of Ukrainian prisoners of war does not indicate either the capture of Kostiantynivka or the regiment’s defeat,” the military emphasized.
The unit urged people not to draw hasty conclusions based on videos circulated by Russian propaganda. They also noted that any statements made by prisoners of war under duress cannot be considered reliable, as these individuals are under pressure from the enemy.
At this time, no other details regarding the circumstances of the soldiers’ capture have been officially reported. The regiment assured that it would do everything possible to ensure their comrades return home as soon as possible. This is evident from a statement by “Skelya.”
Soldiers of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelya” stated that they had cleared Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region of Russian troops. After completing the operation, Ukrainian defenders raised the national flag over the city. The regiment emphasized that Kostiantynivka is under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Pechersky District Court of Kyiv imposed a pretrial detention measure on a serviceman of the “Skelya” regiment who is suspected of assaulting a military chaplain and a lieutenant colonel in the Kharkiv region. He was remanded in custody until September 7 without the right to bail.
Additional details have emerged regarding the incident involving a drone attack on a Belarusian bus in the Bryansk region, which is yet another provocation by Russian special services against Ukraine.
The SBU intercepted a Russian document refuting the claim that the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked the Belarusian bus.
Belarus has claimed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were involved in the attack on the bus in the Bryansk region.
