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Russian Forces Execute 4 Ukrainian Prisoners of War in Donetsk Region

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Russian Forces Execute 4 Ukrainian Prisoners of War in Donetsk Region
A cross on the grave at the site of a mass burial in a forest on September 23, 2022 in Izium, Ukraine. (Source: Getty Images)

Russian forces killed four captured soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine near the city of Selydove in the Donetsk region. SBU  investigators began an investigation for violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional murder.

This was reported by Ukraine’s Prosecutor General's Office.

According to available data, on October 6, four soldiers of Ukraine’s National Guard were performing service and combat tasks at positions near Selydove. Around 1:00 pm, the Russian troops began storming the fortifications and captured the Ukrainian soldiers. The Russian military then recorded the interrogation of wounded, unarmed National Guardsmen on video.

The next day, Ukraine’s Defense Forces regained the lost positions and found the bodies of the killed Ukrainian servicemen, the Prosecutor General's Office stated.

“The killing of prisoners of war is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and is classified as a grave international crime,” the Prosecutor General's Office added.

A pre-trial investigation is currently underway, carried out by investigators of the State Security Service of Ukraine in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has reported a rise in the executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) by Russian military forces. Their latest reports suggest that Russian commanders may be permitting, encouraging, or even directly ordering these acts.

On October 10, Russian forces reportedly executed 9 Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region, according to DeepState. The incident, described as a grave violation of the laws of war, involved drone operators and associated personnel near the village of Zelenyi Shlyakh.

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The Security Service of Ukraine