UN body reports ‘alarming rise’ in Russian execution of captured Ukrainian soldiers

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission stated on Monday that there has been an “alarming increase” in the reported executions of Ukrainian soldiers taken prisoner by Russian military forces during the ongoing conflict in recent months.

The mission in Ukraine reported receiving information on 79 executions across 24 different incidents since the conclusion of August of the previous year. International humanitarian law forbids the execution of prisoners of war and the injured, categorizing it as a war crime.

“Many Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered or were in physical custody of the Russian armed forces were shot dead on the spot. Witness accounts also described the killings of unarmed and injured Ukrainian soldiers,” the mission said in a statement.

Commenting on the report, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the Russian atrocities demanded urgent international action.

“Russia’s horrific executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war demonstrate that Ukraine confronts true beasts,” he said on X. “We need new and effective international legal tools, and concrete steps to hold the perpetrators accountable.”

The Russian defense ministry did not promptly reply to a request for a statement.  The UN organization acquired and evaluated video and photographic evidence released by Ukrainian and Russian sources depicting executions or corpses and carried out in-depth interviews with witnesses.

It was mentioned that the reported executions occurred in regions where Russian military actions were in progress.  Danielle Bell, the mission leader, stated that certain Russian officials “have clearly advocated for brutal treatment, and even death” of seized Ukrainian troops.

The mission said it also documented the execution of a wounded and incapacitated Russian soldier by the Ukrainian armed forces in 2024, but gave no details.

The Ukrainian prosecutor’s office earlier said it was investigating  dozens of cases of executions of Ukrainian military personnel by Russian forces.