The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has reported a sharp increase in the number of executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war captured by the Russian military. It has recorded 79 such cases in 24 separate incidents since the end of August 2024.
According to the report, many Ukrainian servicemen were executed immediately after surrender or while under the control of Russian troops. There is also evidence of the killing of unarmed and wounded soldiers. The UN mission analysed video and photographic materials collected from both Ukrainian and Russian sources, and conducted interviews with witnesses.
The head of the Monitoring Mission, Danielle Belle, noted that the executions are not random, but take place against the backdrop of calls by Russian officials for the ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war. In 2024, the mission recorded at least three public calls for executions by Russian officials, as well as numerous similar messages from military groups on social media.
The UN stressed that such actions constitute a war crime and called for an investigation into all cases of executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war. Belle stressed that the military and political leadership must ensure compliance with international humanitarian law and guarantee the humane treatment of prisoners.