Russia accused of war crimes: 79 POW executions confirmed
The UN Mission for Human Rights Monitoring in Ukraine has confirmed 79 executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russians since August of last year. It was stated that "this is a war crime that requires an urgent response from the international community."
Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the number of executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war has significantly increased. The Ukrainian prosecutor's office reports that at least 147 prisoners have died since the start of the conflict, with 127 occurring just this year. Executions have become systematic since November of last year and have continued throughout this year.
Executions of prisoners by Russians: new data provided
The UN data is based on the analysis of video materials and photos that have been published by Ukrainian and Russian sources. The head of the mission, Danielle Bell, noted that Russian public figures have called for inhumane treatment of Ukrainian soldiers. Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Andrij Sybiha, also confirmed this information.
Drone footage and media reports confirm the brutality with which Russian soldiers treat Ukrainian prisoners. In October, nine Ukrainian soldiers were shot in the Kursk region. These executions are documented, indicating their systematic nature and the approval of Russian commanders.
Sybiha called for urgent international action, emphasizing that it could be one of the largest campaigns of deliberate killing of prisoners of war in modern history. "The terrifying executions carried out by Russia show that Ukraine is dealing with real beasts," he wrote on the X platform.
The American Institute for the Study of War points to the approval of Russian commanders for the executions, which are part of the Kremlin's policy. Russian military bloggers, associated with the Kremlin, glorify these actions, reinforcing cultural norms among Russian ultranationalists.
International humanitarian law, including the Third Geneva Convention, provides protection to prisoners of war, and their "executions constitute a war crime." Despite this, Russia has not conducted formal investigations into these allegations, and mentioning them in Russia carries severe penalties.
Source: PAP
