Russian Forces Execute Ukrainian Prisoners of War, Share Videos
Russian troops are increasingly executing Ukrainian prisoners of war and sharing the videos online. This has led to a significant rise in confirmed cases in 2024.
Since 2022, there have been 177 confirmed executions of Ukrainian POWs by Russian forces. Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, spoke about this issue in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda.
The Geneva Conventions clearly state that executing unarmed prisoners of war is a grave breach of international law. Ukrainian authorities have reported many incidents where captured soldiers were killed after being interrogated or when they posed no threat.
In 2024, there were 109 confirmed executions of Ukrainian POWs. This is a significant increase from previous years. Lubinets noted that in the past, information about these incidents was often gathered through intelligence and law enforcement channels, making it difficult to verify the details. However, in 2024, many of these executions were captured on video.
Lubinets suggested that the Russian military‘s sharing of execution videos on social media might be an attempt to make Russian soldiers complicit in atrocities. This could discourage them from surrendering, as they might fear repercussions or be held accountable for their actions.
The Russian government is also using these acts to send a message to the world: “We’re doing this, and you won’t do anything about it.” Lubinets explained that there will be no consequences for their actions.
It’s worth noting that the International Committee of the Red Cross has never publicly or privately accused Russia of killing or torturing Ukrainian prisoners of war.