The Ground Forces commented on the Babel investigation into deaths and torture in the “Skelya” regiment

The official social networks of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine commented on the Babel investigation into the deaths, torture, and abuse of those mobilized in the training centers of the 425th separate assault regiment "Skelya".

They stated that no combat necessity, intensity of training, or reputation of a combat unit can be a reason to humiliate, commit violence, or be indifferent to the life and health of military personnel.

The information published by Babel requires proper legal verification, for which the authorized bodies are already working. The Command of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine keeps the situation under control and helps ensure that the verification is complete and objective. The "Skelya" Regiment provides the necessary support to the relevant bodies within the procedures stipulated by law.

The Army has appealed to service members, their families, and other potential witnesses to pass on any information they have to relevant law enforcement agencies, the Office of the Ombudsman, the “Army” hotline, or official regimental channels. They also urged them to avoid drawing premature conclusions before the investigation is complete.

• On June 23, Babel published a major investigation into the situation in the 425th Assault Regiment “Skelya”. We interviewed more than 30 witnesses, mostly relatives of those mobilized to “Skelya”, as well as a dozen soldiers from the regiment who escaped or are still serving there.
• Babel counted 26 deaths in the regiment’s training centers over the past six months, and also described cases of torture and abuse of those undergoing training.
• On June 24, the State Bureau of Investigation reported that it had launched an investigation following the Babel material, and the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Dmytro Lubinets stated that on June 25, a monitoring group from the Ombudsmanʼs Office would go to the site to conduct an investigation.

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