Ukraine's largest assault regiment "Skala" rocked by abuse and non-combat death scandal

The commander of Ukraine's 425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skala", the largest assault unit in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, has been suspended pending an investigation into alleged torture, systematic abuse of recruits, and at least 25 non-combat deaths. Ukraine's General Staff confirmed the suspension on June 25, following a major investigative report by the outlet Babel.

The commander of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skala" of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) has been relieved of his duties pending a formal investigation, Ukraine's General Staff announced on June 25, 2026. The move follows a damning investigative report alleging widespread abuse of recruits and dozens of unexplained non-combat deaths within the unit.

Ukraine's largest assault unit

"Skala" is the largest assault regiment in the UAF, informally known as "Syrskyi's regiment" due to its close ties to the top military command. With 13,000 personnel, the unit does not belong to any corps but reports directly to the highest military leadership. It has seen action on some of the most difficult fronts of the war, including Izium, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Pokrovsk.

The Babel investigation

On June 23, Ukrainian investigative outlet Babel published a detailed investigation revealing that between late 2025 and spring 2026, at least 25 recruits in "Skala" died from causes unrelated to combat. Officially, the deaths, affecting soldiers aged 31 to 53, were attributed to pneumonia and cardiovascular disease. The report was based on testimonies from current and former servicemen and their relatives.

Relatives of the deceased alleged that many of the bodies showed signs of beatings, and that medical assistance had been delayed or denied. In several cases, families were only informed of the deaths after the fact, and the circumstances were described as unclear or contradictory.

Systematic abuse alleged

Beyond the deaths, the investigation described a culture of systematic violence against recruits. According to Babel's sources, beatings and humiliating punishments were used as routine disciplinary tools, not isolated incidents, but an established practice. Soldiers were reportedly confined against their will, and the perimeters around tent camps and training center bunkers were mined. The regiment also allegedly recruited individuals with drug dependencies and mental illnesses, while failing to provide them with medical care.

The regiment itself rejected the allegations. A "Skala" spokesperson, Andrii Surai, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that 18 of the cited deaths occurred not within the regiment but in hospitals or en route to them, and were «genuinely connected to illness or the poor general health of mobilised men». Surai acknowledged that investigations into two of the deaths were underway, with one suspect already in custody, adding that the regiment «is interested in the investigation proceeding».

Investigations launched

Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigations has opened a pre-trial inquiry into the matter. The Army Ground Forces Command, which has formal oversight of "Skala", stated it is monitoring the progress of the inquiry closely.

Ukraine's Military Ombudsman Olha Reshetilova revealed that her office had already identified a group of "Skala" instructors who were abusing servicemen at training ranges as early as June 2025. While those individuals were removed from working with personnel, she acknowledged that the investigation into them «has not yet produced concrete results».