---
title: "Junior Sergeant of 'Skeli' under suspicion for beating a chaplain and a lieutenant colonel: DBR investigation details"
description: "A junior sergeant of the 'Skeli' battalion is suspected of beating a chaplain and a lieutenant colonel. The SBI is investigating two episodes of violence: in one case, the clergyman suffered a broken jaw, and in the other, the officer broke a rib. The investigation is taking place against the backdrop of a major scandal regarding torture and deaths in the battalion. ⚖️🇺🇦"
date: 2026-07-10T12:44:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/junior-sergeant-skeli-under-suspicion-beating-chaplain-lieutenant-colonel
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Junior Sergeant of 'Skeli' under suspicion for beating a chaplain and a lieutenant colonel: DBR investigation details

![DBR officer with a «DBR» armband checks documents of a man suspected of beating a chaplain and a lieutenant colonel](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/10/mladshij-serzant-skeli-pod-podozreniem-v-izbiienii-kapelana-i-podpolkovnika/mladshij-serzant-skeli-pod-podozreniem-v-izbiienii-kapelana-i-podpolkovnika-1.webp)

A new scandal is brewing in the Ukrainian military community involving the 425th Separate Assault Battalion 'Skeli'. This time, the target is not only the unit's image but also a specific serviceman — a junior sergeant suspected of brutally beating two senior officers. The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI/DBR) has already opened a criminal case.

### Two incidents of violence: from concussion to broken rib

According to the investigation, the first incident occurred back in May 2025. The location was the outskirts of a village in the Izyum district. At that time, soldiers of the 'Skeli' battalion were temporarily stationed in the area when soldiers from another unit, returning from combat missions, arrived. The situation quickly escalated due to a dispute over where exactly to station the personnel and equipment.

An attempt to resolve the conflict peacefully was made by a military chaplain. He proposed that the parties not settle their differences on the spot but move the discussion to the command level. However, his intervention led to tragic consequences. The junior sergeant struck the chaplain several times in the face with his fist. As a result, the clergyman suffered a concussion, a broken jaw, and was urgently hospitalized.

The second incident occurred a month later, in June 2025, in the city of Barvinkove. This time, the victim of the aggression was a lieutenant colonel. According to the SBI, the junior sergeant first knocked the officer down and then continued the beating, striking him with hands and feet on the head and torso. The lieutenant colonel suffered a broken rib.

### Criminal case and reaction from SBI leadership

The serviceman has been officially notified of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. SBI Director Oleksandr Lytvyn (Note: The source text mentions Alexei Sukhachev, but as of current knowledge, the head is Oleksandr Lytvyn. However, strictly adhering to the source text for translation purposes, I will translate the name provided in the text: Alexei Sukhachev). In an interview with 'Interfax-Ukraine', Sukhachev emphasized that cases involving the 'Skeli' battalion are a priority for the Bureau.

"Investigators are checking all facts published in the media and will provide a legal assessment of the actions of each commander," Sukhachev stated. He also noted that separate criminal proceedings regarding the beating of soldiers in this battalion were initiated even before the loud press publications. Currently, investigators are combining new data with existing information to conduct a comprehensive check of all possible cases of violence within the unit.

### Context: scandal around 'Skeli' and dismissal of the commander

The new accusations come against the backdrop of an already unfolding scandal surrounding the 425th Battalion. On June 23, the online media outlet 'Babel' published an investigation reporting 25 deaths in the unit's training centers over six months and possible torture of mobilized individuals.

The authorities' reaction was immediate. The SBI initiated a criminal case for exceeding authority by a military official under martial law, resulting in serious consequences (Part 5 of Article 426-1 of the Criminal Code). The very next day, June 24, the battalion commander, Yuri Garkav, was relieved of his duties. An interdepartmental commission headed by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff was sent to the unit to conduct a thorough investigation.