Garkavyi has been suspended from command of the ‘Skelya’ regiment: investigations are ongoing
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this in a statement to *Babel*.
Law enforcement officers are currently working within the ‘Skelya’ regiment. The State Bureau of Investigations is conducting a pre-trial investigation into possible unlawful actions against military personnel.
Furthermore, following a decision by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, a comprehensive commission is operating within the unit. It is headed by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Whilst the investigations are ongoing, Yuriy Harkavyi has been suspended from his duties as regiment commander. The General Staff stated that if the facts of criminal offences described in Babel’s investigation are confirmed, those responsible will be held to account.
Specific personnel and organisational decisions may be taken if the investigations confirm that officials have exceeded their powers or that the rights of military personnel have been violated.
The General Staff emphasised that conclusions would be drawn solely on the basis of verified facts, documents, official investigations and court rulings.
According to the General Staff, the regiment’s command is cooperating with law enforcement agencies, the Office of the Military Ombudsman and media representatives. At the same time, the General Staff noted that the 425th Separate Assault Regiment ‘Skelya’ continues to carry out combat missions on challenging sections of the front line.
What is known about Babel’s investigation
On 23 June, ‘Babel’ published an investigation into the situation in the 425th Assault Regiment ‘Skelya’. The publication reported that it had interviewed more than 30 witnesses, mainly relatives of those mobilised into the regiment, as well as soldiers who had deserted the unit or were still serving there.
In the article, the journalists reported 26 deaths at the regiment’s training centres over the past six months. The investigation also described cases of alleged torture and abuse of conscripts during training.
On 24 June, the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) announced that it would verify the facts set out in the investigation. The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, also stated that on 25 June, a monitoring group from the Ombudsman’s Office would travel to the site to carry out an inspection.
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