Investigation into ’Skelia’: court remands soldier suspected of assaulting colleagues in custody – State Bureau of Investigation
Based on the findings of an investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation, the Pecherskyi District Court in Kyiv has ordered that a military serviceman, who is suspected of assaulting colleagues in the Kharkiv region, be remanded in custody until 7 September 2026, without the right to bail.
This has been reported by Censor.NET, citing the press office of the State Bureau of Investigation.
As previously reported, officers from the State Bureau of Investigation detained and charged a serviceman who, at the time the offences were committed, was serving in the "Skelia" regiment. He is accused of assaulting two servicemen in the Kharkiv region.
Details of the case
The first incident took place in May 2025 near one of the villages in the Izium district. Servicemen from another unit, who had previously been carrying out combat missions, arrived at ‘Skelia's’ temporary deployment site.
A conflict arose between the military personnel over the deployment of troops and equipment. A military chaplain tried to calm the parties down and suggested that the situation be resolved at command level.
According to the investigation, the suspect punched the chaplain in the face several times, causing him moderate bodily harm. The victim was hospitalised with a concussion and a fractured jaw.
The second incident took place in June 2025 in the town of Barvinkove. The suspect attacked a lieutenant-colonel.
He knocked the officer to the ground, after which he began striking him with his fists and feet to the head and torso, breaking one of the victim’s ribs.
The soldier has been detained. He has been informed that he is suspected of breaching the statutory rules governing relations between military personnel, resulting in bodily harm of moderate severity, as well as of committing an act of violence against a superior whilst martial law was in force – under Part 2 of Article 406 and Part 4 of Article 405 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
What are the risks?
- The offences under these articles carry a penalty of imprisonment for up to 10 years.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing. - Investigators are continuing to work actively to examine other possible instances of physical violence, unlawful deprivation of liberty, threats with weapons, ill-treatment and failure to provide medical assistance to service personnel at the "Skelia" regiment’s deployment and training sites.
