425th Assault Regiment (Ukraine)

425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skelya"
Ukrainian: 425-й окремий десантно-штурмовий полк «Скеля»
Active2022–Present
CountryUkraine Ukraine
Branch Ukrainian Ground Forces
TypeAssault Infantry
SizeRegiment
Part of Operational Command East
NicknameSkelya regiment
PatronYuriy Harkaviy (callsign "Skala")
Engagements
Website425skala.com
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Yuriy Harkaviy
Insignia
Former insignia

The 425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skelya" (formerly "Skala") (Ukrainian: 425-й окремий десантно-штурмовий полк «Скеля»; MUN A4862) is a unit of the Ukrainian Ground Forces formed by Yuriy Harkaviy "Skala", whose nickname "Skala" ("Rock") gave the unit its name. It has taken part in operations in the Russian invasion of Ukraine starting in 2022, such as assaults on enemy positions and using aerial drones to hunt Russian soldiers, having success in the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive working with the 93rd Mechanized Brigade.[1][2][3]

Skala has been described as a specialized unit that has demonstrated high efficiency on the battlefield in conducting aerial reconnaissance and assault operations, employing drones, tube artillery and rocket artillery, and tanks. The regiment has also been criticized for high level of casualties and accused of physical abuse and human rights violations against its servicemen.[4][5][6]

History

The Skala Battalion was formed in 2022 by Yuriy Harkaviy "Skala" initially as a military intelligence volunteer unit, later being reformed into an assault battalion.[7]

The Skala Battalion took part in the defense of Bakhmut, being in the immediate vicinity when a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 was shot down.[1][2][3]

During the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive, the battalion was deployed on the southern front in the Zaporizhzhia direction, participating in the Ukrainian advance into Robotyne.[8][9]

In January 2025, the battalion was reinforced with tanks and artillery and then converted into a regiment.[10] Despite this designation, the unit's size is closer to that of a division, numbering around 13,000 personnel as of 2026.[5] On 20 May 2025, the regiment formed the first motorcycle assault company in the Ukrainian military, presumably based on similar companies used by the Russian Armed Forces.[11] Two days later, it reportedly carried out a successful raid on the border in the Kursk region using motorcycles.[12]

In August 2025 the unit renamed itself from "Skala" to "Skelya" to conform with modern Ukrainian language conventions.[13]

On 2 December 2025, the regiment's X account published a video with two soldiers holding a Ukrainian flag in central Pokrovsk in an effort to debunk Russian claims about their presence in the city. Deepstate identified the video as AI-modified footage of Russian soldiers holding a Russian flag.[14] Later on 9 December, the BBC reported that members of the unit displayed a Ukrainian flag in northern Pokrovsk, disputing Russian claims of having captured the city.[15]

On 31 March 2026, an M1A1 Abrams, a BMP-2, and an M1117 armored vehicle of the regiment was destroyed during a mechanized assault near the village of Hryshyne, Donetsk Oblast. On 1 April, Serhii Sternenko, made a post on Facebook demanding accountability.[16]

In July 2026, the unit said it had conducted an offensive in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, advancing 25 km and liberating six villages while also locating and eliminating Russian drone operators.[17]

On 7 August 2026, Ukrainska Pravda reported that soldiers from the regiment were being transferred to other units as a result of the abuse allegations, and that the regiment was being restructured, having previously been "artificially inflated" and suffering from low quality of command.[18] On 13 August, the regiment's spokesperson stated that it was placed under the operational control of the 1st Azov Corps.[19]

Accusations of mistreatment of mobilized soldiers

On 2 April 2026, First Deputy Military Ombudsman Ruslan Tsygankov said during an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that there were complaints of human rights violations in the 425th Assault Regiment, including beatings.[20]

In May 2026, Suspilne published an investigation dedicated to the deaths of at least five regiment's servicemen from the Ivano-Frankivsk region, who died in March 2026 after serving from a few days to five weeks. Relatives of some of the deceased reported bodily injuries and claimed that the soldiers had spoken of beatings and mistreatment. Official causes of death in the documents are listed as heart and lung diseases.[21]

According to an investigation by Babel published on 23 June 2026, at least 26 recruits died within six months at the training centers of the regiment, with most of them having served for less than a month. Journalists, citing over 30 testimonies from relatives, servicemen, and individuals who went AWOL, reported cases of beatings, cruel treatment, inadequate medical assistance, and suicides. The investigation also described overcrowded confinement conditions for the mobilized, punishments for escape attempts, the possible use of physical violence, and issues with providing treatment to individuals with addictions, mental disorders, and chronic illnesses. Representatives of the regiment denied some of these allegations.[5][22][23] The day after the publication was released, the Ukrainian State Bureau of Investigation had initiated a pre-trial investigation based on the disclosed facts.[24][25]

The same day, Ukrainian Military Ombudsman Olha Reshetylova said that an inspection organized by her office and the military law enforcement service back in June 2025 identified a group of regimental instructors who organized abuse at training grounds, but no action was taken.[26] Representatives of the Ombudsman's Office stated that the Skelya Regiment was the subject of the highest number of complaints received.[27][5]

On 26 June 2026, Harkaviy was removed from his post for the duration of the investigation.[28][29]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Satolli, Emanuele (29 December 2022). "The Bravery and the Recklessness of Ukraine's Improvised Army". WSJ. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 Axe, David (6 December 2022). "Ukrainian Scouts Were In Their Foxholes Near Bakhmut When A Russian Bomber Came Crashing Down". Forbes. Archived from the original on 24 January 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  3. 1 2 Moore, Jason (2 January 2023). "In Bakhmout, the traces of the terrible Russian relentlessness". UK Daily News. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  4. ↑ "Ukraine's 'Skala' Regiment – Heroes or Villains?". Kyiv Post. Archived from the original on 6 October 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "The "Skelya" assault regiment has combat merits and is well-equipped. And, according to eyewitnesses, they torture and beat people to death there. Babelʼs investigation". babel.ua. 23 June 2026. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  6. ↑ "Ексжурналіст і військовий Братущак про "Скелю": Ми – ніякий не "м'ясний полк"" [Former journalist and serviceman Bratushchak on "Skelya": We are no "meat regiment"]. Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  7. ↑ "Soldiers of the Skala Battalion secure the village of Rozdolne". Militarnyi. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  8. ↑ Smilianets, Vladyslav (26 August 2023). "Ukraine will speed up advance on southern front, commander says". Reuters. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  9. ↑ "За день Зеленський відвідав військових 11 бригад у Донецькій і Запорізькій областях: хто став Героєм України" (in Ukrainian). novynarnia.com. 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  10. ↑ "Штурмовий батальйон "Скала" розширюють до полку". Мілітарний. Чесні новини про армію, війну та оборону. (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  11. ↑ Dmytro Shumlianskyi (20 May 2025). "Ukrainian military forms the first motorcycle assault company under the Skala Regiment". militarnyi. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  12. ↑ Volodymyr B (22 May 2025). "Skala motorcyclists carried out a successful night raid on the border in the Kursk sector". militarnyi. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  13. ↑ "Skelya Regiment Undergoes Rebranding". MilitaryLand. 10 December 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
  14. ↑ Шевчук, Вікторія (15 December 2025). "425 ОШП ВСУ опубликовал фейковое видео, которое должно было «опровергнуть» российские кадры из Покровска". InfoResist (in Russian). Retrieved 16 December 2025.
  15. ↑ Beale, Jonathan (9 December 2025). "Ukrainians raise flag in Pokrovsk to show BBC the fight goes on in city claimed by Russia". BBC Home. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  16. ↑ "Failed Ukrainian mechanized attack near Pokrovsk ignites online storm over assault regiment's tactics". Kyiv Independent. 2 April 2026. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  17. ↑ "Skelia Regiment liberates six villages in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast". Ukrainska Pravda. 13 July 2026. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  18. ↑ "Зі "Скелі" почали переводити штурмовиків у інші підрозділи" [Assault troops are being transferred out of "Skelya" into other units]. Ukrainska Pravda (in Ukrainian).
  19. ↑ "Полк "Скеля" переходить під оперативне керівництво корпусу "Азов"" [The "Skelya" Regiment is transferred under the operational command of the "Azov" Corps]. Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  20. ↑ "В офісі Військового омбудсмана відповіли, чи підтримують створення штурмових військ". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (in Ukrainian). 2 April 2026. Retrieved 6 April 2026. Найбільш відомі штурмові полки – 225-й та 425-й («Скеля»). З них надходять численні скарги про порушення прав військовослужбовців. Зокрема, в «Скелі» зафіксовані факти побиття військових, розповів Руслан Циганков. Також люди не мають доступу до телефонів – це питання безпеки, але, можливо, щоб вони не могли поскаржитися, припустив правозахисник.
  21. ↑ Коржук, Руслана; Полівчак, Діана (17 May 2026). "П'ятеро військових "Скелі" з Франківщини померли, не прослуживши й двох тижнів" [Five "Skelya" soldiers from the Frankivsk region died after less than two weeks of service]. Суспільне | Новини (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  22. ↑ "Розслідування: у "Скелі" за пів року 26 померлих новобранців" [Investigation: 26 recruits died in "Skelya" in six months]. dw.com (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  23. ↑ "У «Скелі» розповіли, чи розслідуються випадки 26 смертей військових у полку" ["Skelya" told whether the cases of 26 deaths of soldiers in the regiment are being investigated]. Радіо Свобода (in Ukrainian). 23 June 2026. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  24. ↑ "Небойові смерті серед новобранців "Скелі": ДБР проводить розслідування" [Non-combat deaths among "Skelya" recruits: SBI is investigating]. Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  25. ↑ "ДБР перевірить «Скелю» щодо можливих порушень, про які писали медіа" [SBI will check "Skelya" for possible violations reported by the media]. hromadske (in Ukrainian). 24 June 2026. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  26. ↑ "У "Скелі" знайшли інструкторів, які організовують знущання, та їх не притягнули до відповідальності – Решетилова" [Instructors organizing abuse were found in "Skelya", but they have not been held accountable – Reshetylova]. Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  27. ↑ "Омбудсманка отримала найбільше скарг від військових та їхніх родичів на полк «Скеля» — відповідь на запит" [The Ombudsman received the highest number of complaints from servicemen and their relatives against the "Skelya" Regiment — response to inquiry]. Слідство.Інфо (in Ukrainian). 6 April 2026. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  28. ↑ "Командира 425 ОШП "Скеля" Гаркавого тимчасово відсторонили" [Commander of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skelya" Harkaviy temporarily removed]. Апостроф (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  29. ↑ "Командира полку Скеля відсторонили від посади" [Skelya Regiment commander removed from post]. ua.korrespondent.net (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 25 June 2026.
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