Ukrainian intel: Russian forces executed five captured Ukrainian soldiers near Vuhledar

Ukrainian officials note that the number of executions of Ukrainian POWs is increasing in the last few months of 2024.

Nov 22, 2024 - 21:00
Ukrainian intel: Russian forces executed five captured Ukrainian soldiers near Vuhledar

A screenshot from the prosecutor's office. Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office/Telegram.

The prosecutor’s office of the Donetsk Oblast has reported that Russian forces have shot five Ukrainian prisoners of war.

Russian forces execution of five Ukrainian prisoners of war near Vuhledar marks an escalating pattern of war crimes, with such killings rising sharply in late 2024. The incident represents one-third of all POW execution cases this year and highlights Russia’s continued violation of the Geneva Conventions.

According to intelligence reports, on 2 October, servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces stormed the positions of Ukrainian troops near the town of Vuhledar. During the offensive, Russian troops captured five unarmed Ukrainian defenders.

They killed one of them in a forest belt, and took four of them to the road under the sights of automatic weapons, where they were also shot.

“The killing of prisoners of war is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and is classified as a serious international crime,” the prosecutor’s office said.

In addition, the prosecutor’s office noted that ”urgent investigative actions are being taken to establish all the circumstances of the incident.”

Ukrainian officials stated that the number of executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war is increasing every month. In October-November, the prosecutor’s office opened 13 cases of executions of 54 Ukrainian prisoners of war, which is a third of all such proceedings in 2024.

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