After the publication of an investigation into deaths and torture in Ukraine’s Skala assault regiment, at least seven more deaths of mobilized men have become known, Babel reports.
Relatives and loved ones of men who were mobilized into Skala and died soon afterward contacted the outlet. Based on their accounts, journalists identified at least seven new episodes involving the deaths of recruits in the regiment’s training unit.
Most of the mobilized men in question died within their first month in Skala.
Taking the new data into account, journalists recorded 31 deaths from late last autumn to the spring of 2026.
Relatives of the dead said official documents listed heart failure, intoxication, pneumonia, and other illnesses as the causes of death. At the same time, according to loved ones, signs of beatings were visible on the bodies of some of the men, and the circumstances of the sudden deaths raised questions.
Earlier, Skala serviceman Mykola Kharlan, call sign “Kyivlianyn,” recorded a video address accusing Babel of publishing “Russian propaganda” funded by Russian money. The outlet had previously published an investigation into torture and deaths in the unit.
“They Will Turn Your Son Into a Tiger.”
Skala Regiment Hints at Retaliation Against Journalists Who Reported Torture of Recruits