The killing of prisoners is considered a grave violation of the Geneva Conventions. Russia has already violated these conventions multiple times.
The Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor’s Office launched a criminal probe into the alleged execution by Russian forces of two Ukrainian prisoners-of-war (POWs) near Selydove in Donetsk Oblast on 18 October.
In 2024, Russia will intensify the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war. Ukrainian officials and UN reports have documented these violations, which are part of a systemic mistreatment against captured Ukrainian soldiers. This violates the Geneva Conventions that govern POW treatment. The trend of executions has raised fears that the Kremlin is shifting its policy to eliminate POWs instead of treating them according international laws.
According to the prosecutor’s office, Russian troops storming an area of forest near Selydove have captured two Ukrainian soldiers.
Captors forced unarmed prisoners to lie down face-down, and restrained them by pressing their foot on the backs of the captives. The soldiers then allegedly shot at close range the prisoners with automatic weapons.
The Donetsk Prosecutor’s Office said that “the killing of prisoners is a gross breach of the Geneva Conventions, and is classified as an international crime of grave gravity.”
As the investigation continues, authorities are likely to collect additional evidence and testimony to build a case against a potential prosecution.
On 1 October, Russian forces killed 16 Ukrainian POWs at Pokrovsk, Donetsk oblast. This was the largest mass murder of prisoners since the beginning of the war.
Russian military bloggers have glorified the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war, portraying this as acceptable conduct during wartime. According to the Institute for the Study of War, this rhetoric reflects an increasing normalization of war crime within Russian discourse. It is meant to justify violence against captured soldiers.
The European Union condemned Russia for glorifying the increasing executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war, calling it a manifestation of the brutal regime in the Kremlin.
In retaliation to Russia’s execution of Ukrainian soldiers, Ukraine restricted the phone privileges of Russian POWs. Officials in Ukraine stated that this measure was taken to pressure Russia into adhering to international laws regarding prisoner treatment.
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