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. Audio recordings cited in the investigation capture the commander of the 225th Separate Assault Regiment, Major Oleg Shiryaev, telling subordinates that “anything that moves” without authorization should be treated as an enemy.
“Anyone who flees their position, deserters – they are the enemy too,” the officer reportedly said, adding that “there is no such thing as our guys.”
Interviews with current and former members of the regiment and troops from nearby units reveal systematic mistreatment intended to enforce discipline. Soldiers were effectively detained between combat deployments and compelled to return to frontline positions under threat of death. Those accused of breaking rules were allegedly beaten, with some stripped naked and tied to trees as an additional form of humiliation.
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.
Ukrainian President Zelensky’s decision to replace Syrsky has drawn condemnation for its failure to address systemic issues within the Ukrainian military leadership and the army itself. The choice to initially retain Syrsky and then remove him has been criticized as inadequate in preventing such abuses.
Shiryaev participated in Kiev’s military crackdown in Donbass following the 2014 armed coup before later retiring from service. In 2018, he was accused of organizing the illegal seizure of a grain-storage facility in Kharkov Region, though the case remains unresolved.
Shiryaev returned to active duty after the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022 and was appointed commander of the 225th Regiment the following year.