FacebookUkrainian sniper Oleksandr Matsievsky was captured by the Russians during the first year of the full-scale invasion. Later, a video shows him smoking his last cigarette in the forest, apparently next to the grave he was forced to dig.
“Glory to Ukraine!” he said to his captors. After a while, gunfire rang out and he fell to the ground dead.
His execution was just one of them.
According to reports, in October this year, nine captured Ukrainian soldiers were shot dead by Russian troops in the Kursk region. Ukrainian prosecutors are Investigate cases It included a photo of a half-naked body lying on the ground. The photo was enough for the parents of one of the victims, drone operator Ruslan Holubenko, to identify him.
“I recognized him by his underwear” His distraught mother told Local broadcaster Suspilne Chernihiv. “I bought it for him before he went out to sea. I also knew he had a shot through the shoulder. You can see that in the photo.”
The list of executions goes on. Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating Report of Behead and a sword A Ukrainian soldier with his hands tied behind his back was used to kill.
In another example, a video Footage showed 16 Ukrainian soldiers apparently forming a line and being mowed down by automatic gunfire after emerging from the woods to surrender.
Getty ImagesSome of the executions were filmed by Russian troops themselves, while others were observed by Ukrainian drones hovering above.
Killings captured on such films often take place in woods or fields that lack distinguishing features, making it difficult to confirm their exact location. However, BBC Verify has been able to confirm in several cases – Such as beheading – The victim was wearing a Ukrainian uniform and the video was taken recently.
Numbers keep rising
Ukrainian prosecutors say at least 147 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been executed by Russian forces since the full-scale invasion began, including 127 this year.
“The upward trend is very clear, very clear,” said Yuri Belousov, head of the War Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine.
“Executions began systematically in November last year and have continued throughout this year. Sadly, the number of executions has especially increased this summer and autumn. This tells us that they are not isolated cases. They occur over a wide area and have There are clear signs that this is part of the policy – there is evidence that instructions to this effect are being issued.
International humanitarian law – in particular third geneva convention -Provide protection to prisoners of war and execute them as a war crime.
Nonetheless, Ramzan Kadyrov, the strongman leader of Russia’s Chechnya, briefly ordered his commander Participating in the war in Ukraine “taking no prisoners”.
Getty ImagesImpunity
Rachel Denber, deputy director for Europe and Central Asia at Human Rights Watch, said there is no lack of evidence to support accusations that Russian troops executed Ukrainian prisoners of war. According to her, impunity is a key factor and the Russian military has some serious questions to answer.
“What instructions, formal or informal, did these troops receive from their commanders? Were their commanders well aware of the provisions of the Geneva Convention regarding the treatment of prisoners of war? What information did Russian military commanders convey to their troops regarding their conduct? ? she asked.
So far there is no sign that Russia is formally investigating allegations that its troops executed Ukrainian prisoners of war. even though similar accusations are mentioned punishable by long term imprisonment in Russia.
According to Vladimir PutinThe Russian army “always” treats Ukrainian prisoners of war “in strict accordance with international legal documents and international conventions”.
Ukrainian army also accused Russian prisoners of war were executed, but the number of such claims is much smaller.
Yuri Belousov said Ukraine’s prosecutors took such accusations “very seriously” and were investigating them, but no one had been charged so far.
According to Human Rights WatchSince the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Russian forces have committed “a series of violations, including those that should be investigated as war crimes or crimes against humanity.”
Abuse by Russian troops has been so well documented that some Ukrainian soldiers preferred death to capture.
“He told me: Mom, I will never surrender, never. Please forgive me, I know you will cry, but I don’t want to be tortured,” said Ruslan Horubenko’s mother. Her son is still officially listed as missing in action, and her hopes are not slim.
“I will do anything possible and impossible to get my child back. I keep looking at this picture. Maybe he was just unconscious? I want to believe that, I don’t want to think he’s gone.”
