Kyiv alleges that hundreds of Ukrainian prisoners of war have been executed by Russian forces since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, with Ukrainian officials asserting this indicates a deliberate policy by Moscow.
The exact number of executed prisoners is not definitively known, with figures varying among Ukrainian and international sources. Andriy Atamantchuk, an official with the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office overseeing POW executions, stated that his office relies on documented and proven facts. As of the latest reporting, Kyiv has initiated 116 investigations into the killings of 306 Ukrainian servicemen. However, Atamantchuk stressed that the total number is likely significantly higher.
Ukrainian intelligence officials, speaking anonymously, reported tracking "more than 900 military personnel" killed in "more than 340" incidents since 2022, suggesting this could represent "between 25 and 40 percent" of such cases. These officials attribute the discrepancy in numbers to differences in methodology, with intelligence services receiving information more quickly from frontline units and other sources compared to the prosecutor's office's focus on documented evidence.
One documented case involves Andriy Dubnytsky, a 25-year-old soldier from the 110th brigade, who was killed in February 2024 as Ukrainian troops retreated from Avdiivka. His wife, Lyudmyla Dubnytska, recognized his body in a video shared on social media showing a group of killed Ukrainian troops. She stated that her husband's last message indicated he anticipated capture. The 110th brigade confirmed the deaths of several troops, including Dubnytsky and fellow fighter Ivan Zhytnyk, accusing Russian forces of violating an agreement to evacuate them.
Ukrainian prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident, categorizing it as the "shooting of unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war." This incident is reportedly not isolated, with several Ukrainian officials telling AFP that Russian troops have increased the rate of such executions starting in 2023. Atamantchuk suggested this trend stems from a Russian policy that "effectively encouraged and enabled such crimes, with commanders then issuing orders to that effect."
A United Nations report from the previous month cited 129 verified executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war and had previously raised concerns about a "marked increase" in cases during the past year.
Ukrainian investigators have also alleged extremely brutal murders, including beheadings, with images circulating on Russian social media. The Geneva Conventions afford protections to soldiers considered POWs from the moment they clearly surrender. Russian authorities have not responded to AFP's requests for comment on these allegations, consistently rejecting accusations of war crimes and, in turn, accusing Kyiv of committing them.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, the Russian Wagner paramilitary group, which was dismantled after its 2023 rebellion, played a role in setting the tone for these executions due to its ranks of ex-prisoners. Most victims are reportedly shot dead, with a widely circulated social media video from 2023 showing a Russian soldier shooting a Ukrainian soldier after he shouted "Glory to Ukraine."
So far, only five Russian soldiers have been convicted in Ukraine, with two tried in absentia, according to prosecutor Atamantchuk. He noted the complexity of investigations, often due to a lack of access to combat zones, which complicates judicial proceedings. Atamantchuk expressed a hope for justice for the families, even if only by identifying those responsible for the killings.