Scandal-hit Skelia assault regiment to fight under Azov command as Drapatyi's reforms gain momentum
- On Thursday, August 13, 2026, the 425th Assault Regiment, known as Skelia, was placed under the operational command of the 1st Azov Corps of the National Guard, spokesperson Oleksii Bratushchak announced.
- Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi ordered the shift as part of broader military reforms, following a manpower audit he initiated upon taking office on July 21 to address deployment imbalances.
- The reorganization follows intense scrutiny, including criminal investigations into 103 non-combat deaths reported in 2026; Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Fediyenko noted three individuals have been charged.
- While Skelia units remain spread across Pokrovsk and Kharkiv, the command plans to gradually consolidate them for deployment in the Dobropillia direction under Azov's operational direction.
- Integration into the corps' organizational structure will not occur despite the operational shift; Bratushchak emphasized the regiment retains its separate status, with the arrangement strictly limited to coordinating combat tasks.
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The regiment remains an independent unit, not part of the corps. Azov will provide operational guidance.
Ukraine puts controversial Skelia regiment under Azov command as Drapatyi pushes military reforms
Ukraine’s 425th Separate Assault Regiment Skelia is moving under the operational command of the 1st National Guard Corps Azov, as the Ukrainian military works to consolidate scattered Skelia units under a single command and eventually deploy them on the same section of the front. The move comes amid scrutiny of Skelia following an investigation into dozens of non-combat deaths among its recruits and ongoing criminal proceedings over alleged abus…
The "Skelya" Assault Regiment is transferred under the operational command of "Azov" - BratuschakThe 425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skelya" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is transferred under the operational command of the 1st Corps "Azov" of the National Guard. At the same time, the regiment is not part of the corps structure.
The 425th Separate Assault Regiment “The Rock” passes under the operational command of the Azov Corps.
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