Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman has condemned the alleged execution of nine Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) by Russian troops in the Kursk region of Russia. The prisoners, reportedly drone operators and military contractors, were said to have surrendered before being killed on October 10, according to a report from the Ukrainian battlefield analysis site DeepState.
The report claims that the Ukrainian troops were captured after mistakenly entering Russian-controlled territory during combat operations. Drone footage allegedly shows the bodies of the victims, stripped to their underwear and lying face down in a field. Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets responded to the allegations by sending urgent letters to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, calling for an investigation. Lubinets accused Russia of violating the Geneva Convention and committing “another crime” against Ukrainian forces.
SitRep – 13/10/24 – Russia likely committed yet another warcrime…
An overview of the daily events in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During this relative calm Sunday, it was announced that Russian troops are believed to have shot dead 9 Ukrainian POWs.
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— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) October 13, 2024
In a message posted on Telegram, Lubinets demanded that the international community address the incident and ensure that those responsible are held accountable. “These actions must not go unpunished, and the enemy must bear full responsibility,” he wrote. The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office has opened a criminal investigation into the alleged executions, which it called a gross breach of international law.
Russia has yet to comment on the allegations. The Kremlin has consistently denied accusations of war crimes committed by its forces since the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. However, Ukraine has frequently reported incidents of POW executions, and earlier this month, it accused Russian forces of killing 16 captured Ukrainian soldiers in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian officials stated that, if confirmed, these events would represent one of the largest mass executions of Ukrainian POWs by Russian troops.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the killings in his nightly address, emphasizing that such actions demonstrate Russia’s disregard for international norms. Zelenskyy also highlighted ongoing Russian aerial attacks across Ukraine, with the Ukrainian air force reporting the downing of 31 out of 68 drones launched overnight by Russian forces.
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