At an undisclosed date in March 2025, an unknown person affiliated with the Ukrainian military opened fire at close range on a Sky News crew’s car while the team was filming a report about Ukraine’s 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelia”. The incident was reported on 25 June 2026 by Sky News producer Azad Safarov.
According to him, the incident occurred near Dobropillya, Donetsk region. The crew had arrived at the location in two vehicles. One car, carrying the driver and a press officer, stayed near the regiment’s command and observation post. The team had initially agreed that the vehicles would be hidden and that the driver would wait in a shelter at the headquarters.
Safarov said the press officer went to the shelter alone, leaving the driver waiting in the car outside. At around 23:30, an unknown person approached the car from the driver’s side and opened fire at close range. The driver was not injured because the vehicle was armoured.
After the shooting, according to the producer, another soldier came out of the building, collected the shell casings and told the driver to leave, warning that other vehicles could also be shot at. When the driver tried to explain that she was acting in agreement with the press officer, she was threatened. After reaching a safer location and contacting the crew, the Sky News team immediately left the area. Safarov said the crew later counted 12 bullet holes in the car.
The circumstances of the shooting were not clarified by the Skelia Regiment, despite multiple attempts by Sky News to obtain information or clarification on the incident via multiple channels, Sarafov said. He added that Sky News had tried for more than a year to resolve the incident and had submitted requests to the relevant Armed Forces press centre and the General Staff, but had received no response.