Russia kills at least 32 Ukrainian war prisoners in three months – UN

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported this week over the course of three months, 32 Ukrainian soldiers captured by Russian forces had been killed. 

 

The report, based on data collected by the Commissioner’s Office, revealed between December 2023 and February 2024, at least 32 Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed by Russian military personnel, marking a concerning escalation compared to previous periods.Independent sources also corroborated at least three instances where seven Ukrainian prisoners of war, who were unable to engage in combat, were unlawfully killed.

 

Detailing specific incidents, the High Commissioner’s report recounted eyewitness testimonies, such as one case in the village of Rabotino, Zaporozhye region, where a Russian soldier fatally stabbed a Ukrainian prisoner in the leg for not speaking clearly, before shooting him twice in the back. 

 

The report further exposed the widespread torture inflicted upon Ukrainian soldiers captured by Russian forces, including the use of electric shocks, mock hangings, and sexual violence.

 

The Interviews conducted by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights with 44 Russian prisoners also revealed accounts of torture and mistreatment inflicted upon Ukrainians immediately following their capture or upon their transfer to permanent detention facilities. While the Russian military denied ongoing torture in these facilities.