Russian Forces Execute 5 Unarmed Ukrainian POWs

Russian forces have once again executed a group of Ukrainian prisoners of war, killing five Ukrainian soldiers on December 22.

According to a statement from Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, the incident has been confirmed through a video released by the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after General-Major Marko Bezruchko.

The video shows Russian soldiers executing five unarmed Ukrainian prisoners after separating them into two groups. The victims were surrounded in a partially destroyed building and, realizing their situation was hopeless, were forced to surrender.

The prisoners were then ordered to leave their shelter one by one and lie on the ground. Following this, three of the captives were escorted down the road, while two remained behind and were shot.

The Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner has announced that the incident will be reported to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). “Russian war criminals who execute Ukrainian prisoners of war must face an international tribunal and receive the harshest punishment allowed by law,” Lubinets stated.

According to reports, at least 177 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been executed, with 109 confirmed cases occurring in 2024.

Earlier, on November 22, Russian forces executed four Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Donetsk region, following an assault on a Ukrainian Armed Forces position near the village of Petrivka. The prisoners, who were forced to surrender, were immediately shot by Russian soldiers. The Office of the Prosecutor General has emphasized that such actions constitute a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions.