Skelia Assault Regiment troops to be transferred to other units following abuse allegations, media reports
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Soldiers from the 425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skelia" are being transferred to other formations following reports of alleged abuse within the unit, Ukrainska Pravda reported on Aug. 7, citing sources in the regiment and Ukraine's Defense Forces.
"Skelia" is one of Ukraine's largest assault formations, with more than 10,000 personnel. The unit expanded rapidly under former Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, receiving a disproportionate share of newly mobilized recruits even as regular mechanized brigades struggled with severe personnel shortages.
The order to reassign "Skelia" personnel was issued roughly a week ago, with soldiers being transferred to around 10 other units, according to Ukrainska Pravda. The outlet did not specify the exact number of personnel affected but reported that some "Skelia" soldiers were dissatisfied with the decision.
An undisclosed source in Ukraine's Defense Forces told Ukrainska Pravda that the regiment was being restructured because it had been "artificially inflated," while the quality of its command remained low despite its large number of personnel.
The transfers follow broader changes affecting Ukraine's assault formations. On July 31, newly appointed Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi had ordered Ground Forces assault regiments to stop receiving additional personnel as of July 26 amid allegations of misconduct.
"Skelia" has become the most prominent example of controversy surrounding the assault-unit system. An investigation documented at least 26 reported noncombat deaths among its recruits between late 2025 and spring 2026, as well as allegations of abuse and denial of medical treatment.
Regiment commander Lieutenant Colonel Yurii Harkavyi was subsequently suspended pending an investigation into alleged violations of soldiers' rights, while two "Skelia" service members were charged in July with allegedly torturing fellow soldiers.
The General Staff also announced on July 29 that it had begun reviewing the staffing of military units and the fairness of personnel distribution across the Armed Forces. It did not specify whether the review concerned individual formations or the military as a whole.
