Five captured Ukrainian soldiers executed by Russian forces near Vuhledar

**Russian Forces Accused of Executing Ukrainian POWs**

Ukrainian officials have reported an increase in the number of executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) over the past few months. The prosecutor‘s office in Donetsk Oblast said that Russian forces have killed five Ukrainian POWs.

**Escalating Pattern of War Crimes**

This incident marks a disturbing trend of war crimes by Russian forces. According to officials, such killings have risen sharply since late 2024. In fact, this latest incident represents one-third of all reported POW executions for the year.

**Details of the Incident**

Intelligence reports suggest that on October 2, Russian troops stormed Ukrainian positions near Vuhledar and captured five unarmed defenders. One was killed in a forest belt, while the other four were taken to a road where they were shot under the sights of automatic weapons.