On various social networks, unknown people are massively publishing posts and videos in which they spread fakes about the investigation of Babel. In particular, the authors claim that “the accusation against the regiment was unfounded”, “the accusations were baseless”, and the text was based on the testimonies of only two AWOL soldiers.
Also, as a refutation of the facts set forth in the material, the authors of the videos provide information that most of the deaths described in the material did not occur in the regiment, but outside it.
Examples of posts with lies and manipulations about the Babel investigation into deaths, torture, and abuse at 425 Skelya Correctional Facility.
The authors of the videos say that Babel admitted the mistake and call it the “finale of the scandal”.
In fact, the editorial office publicly stated that it had mistakenly included the name of Vyacheslav Borysov in the list of mobilized people who died during the exercises in “Skelya” — he died in a different unit. However, “Skelya” confirmed the other 25 deaths. At the same time, the editorial office receives notifications about new episodes.
As a refutation of the facts set forth in the material, the authors of the posts and videos say that 18 of the 25 deaths occurred in hospitals, and not in the regimentʼs training centers — this repeats the official position of the regiment.
In fact, the Babel material indicates the places where people died, and also indicates the condition in which some of the regimentʼs soldiers arrived at the hospitals — with traces of beatings and physical injuries.
Previously, veteran, head of the human rights center for military personnel "Pryntsyp" Masi Nayem stated that the fact of death in the hospital does not refute the reasons why a person ended up there. Military Andriy Pysarenko also wrote about what pneumonia in "Skelya" is and what precedes it.
In the video, the head of the civil-military cooperation group "Skelya" Andriy Suray says that the material is based on the testimonies of two soldiers in AWOL.
In fact, the investigation of Babel is based on the data of more than 30 witnesses — mostly relatives of mobilized people, as well as about a dozen "Skelya" soldiers who escaped from the regiment or are still serving there.
Most of these people testified anonymously — due to threats to their lives and health. Babel also published videos and photos of soldiers who were on exercises in "Skelya" and suffered serious physical injuries.
- 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 identified 25 deaths in the regiment’s training centers over the past six months, and also described cases of torture and abuse of those undergoing training.
- Following the Babel material, the State Bureau of Investigation launched a pre-trial investigation into the facts made public by Babel. The regiment is staffed by a mission from the Ombudsmanʼs Office and a comprehensive commission headed by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- On June 24, the commander of the 425th Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Yuriy Harkavy, was suspended from duty for the duration of the inspection.
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