Russian command approves executions of captured Ukrainian soldiers - ISW

The Russian occupiers are increasingly executing Ukrainian soldiers who surrender. The terrorist country's command seems to approve of such war crimes.

This was reported by analysts of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). In particular, on September 6, CNN reported that it had received footage showing Russian soldiers shooting prisoners near Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, in late August 2024 and in Zaporizhzhia region in May 2024.

Ukrainian military intelligence provided the publication with a transcript of audio intercepts of executions in May 2024, which featured a Russian commander ordering his subordinates to kill Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered.

In addition, the media received a list of 15 cases of such executions since November 2023. Most of them were accompanied by drone videos or audio intercepts, and an anonymous Ukrainian official told journalists that the number of such executions increased in 2024.

Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin reported investigating at least 28 such executions since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. According to him, these crimes were committed by various Russian units operating in different parts of the frontline. For this reason, Ukraine claims that such Russian policy can be equated to crimes against humanity.

A United Nations (UN) source said that the "pattern" of these Russian executions "indicates complacency, if not an order to show no mercy." Attacking soldiers in combat, especially those who have clearly expressed their intention to surrender, is a violation of Article 41 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflict.

"ISW has repeatedly analyzed previous videos and reports of executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces, and has observed a broader trend of numerous war crimes by Russia. It turns out that they were authorized, if not directly approved, by individual Russian commanders and supported by Russian field commanders," the analysts said.

As reported, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine commented on the shooting of three Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered by the Russian occupiers. They noted that the Ukrainian soldiers came out of hiding, knelt down and raised their hands behind their heads. At that moment, Russian attack aircraft opened fire on them. Information about their fate is currently being clarified.

Earlier, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also expressed outrage by the horrific footage published by CNN, which showed Russian soldiers ruthlessly shooting Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered. They called on the international community to strongly condemn another war crime by the Russian occupation forces.

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