Investigation into "Skelia": SBI detains soldier on suspicion of violence against colleagues
The State Bureau of Investigations is investigating possible incidents of violence and mistreatment of military personnel in the 425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skelia."
According to Censor.NET, this information was provided by the SBI's press service.
Separate criminal proceedings regarding the beatings of military personnel were initiated even before the high-profile media reports. Following the release of new information, investigators from the SBI are analyzing both new and existing evidence in the criminal proceedings, as part of which they are examining all possible instances of unlawful conduct within the unit.
First procedural results have been obtained
The investigation has now yielded its first procedural results in one of these cases.
Specifically, SBI officers detained and served a notice of suspicion to a servicemember who was serving in the "Skelia" regiment at the time the crimes were committed. He is accused of assaulting two servicemembers in the Kharkiv region.
Episode 1
- The first incident occurred in May 2025 near one of the villages in the Izium District. Service members from another unit, who had previously been carrying out combat missions, arrived at the "Skelia" unit’s temporary deployment site.
- A conflict arose between the service members over the placement of personnel and equipment. A military chaplain attempted to calm the parties and suggested resolving the situation at the command level.
- According to the investigation, the suspect punched the chaplain in the face several times, causing him moderate bodily injury. The victim was hospitalized with a concussion and a broken jaw.
Episode 2
The second incident occurred in June 2025 in the city of Barvinkove. The suspect attacked a lieutenant colonel who outranked him.
The junior sergeant knocked the officer to the ground, then began striking him with his hands and feet on the head and torso, breaking one of the victim’s ribs.
The soldier was detained. He has been notified that he is suspected of violating the statutory rules governing relations between military personnel, resulting in moderate bodily injury, as well as of committing violence against a superior officer under martial law—under Part 2 of Article 406 and Part 4 of Article 405 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The penalties under these articles provide for imprisonment for up to 10 years.
The issue of imposing a preventive measure in the form of pretrial detention is currently being decided.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.
"Investigators are continuing to actively examine other possible instances of physical violence, unlawful deprivation of liberty, threats with weapons, mistreatment, and failure to provide medical care to servicemembers at the "Skelia" regiment’s deployment and training sites.
The Office of the Prosecutor General is overseeing the proceedings," the agency stated.
