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Ukraine Launches War Crimes Investigation Into Execution of POW by Russian Soldiers
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Ukrainian prosecutors have opened an investigation after Russian troops executed a Ukrainian prisoner of war in the Donetsk region, according to a statement from the Office of the Prosecutor General on November 28.
The incident occurred in November 2025 during a Russian assault on Ukrainian positions near the village of Hnativka in the Pokrovsk district. Investigators say Russian forces surrounded and captured a Ukrainian serviceman from the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
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According to the prosecution, one of the soldiers tied the captive’s hands while another struck him several times in the head with a rifle butt. When the unarmed prisoner stopped responding, the Russian troops shot him dead.
The Office of the Prosecutor General emphasized that the deliberate killing of prisoners of war is a grave violation of the Geneva Conventions and constitutes a serious international crime.
Under the procedural guidance of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office, a pre-trial investigation has been opened under Article 438(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—violation of the laws and customs of war resulting in death.
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Investigative and operational measures are now underway to establish all circumstances of the execution and identify the perpetrators.
A day earlier, Russian troops shot dead five Ukrainian servicemen who had been captured and were no longer able to resist in the Huliaipole sector.
“On the morning of November 27, 2025, in the Huliaipole direction, Zaporizhzhia region, Russian soldiers cold-bloodedly shot our defenders who were in captivity,” the statement said.
The prosecution underscored that the intentional killing of prisoners of war represents a grave violation of the Geneva Conventions and qualifies as a serious international crime.
Previously, it was reported that Russian shelling has claimed the lives of 16,230 civilians in Ukraine—an increase of 2,608 compared to the same date in 2024, when the confirmed toll stood at 13,622.
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