On February 24, near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, Russian troops killed at least seven Ukrainian soldiers who had surrendered as prisoners, Dmytro Lubinets, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, reported The Kyiv Independent.

Ukrainian soldiers on training in the Donetsk regionPhoto: AA/ABACA / Abaca Press / Profimedia

“On the video images that we managed to get, it can be seen that the Ukrainian military surrendered: their hands were raised up, which indicates that they were unarmed and did not pose any threat,” wrote Dmytro Lubinets in a comment. Telegram, News.ro reports.

“The Russian troops were supposed to take them prisoner, but instead they executed them mercilessly,” he said.

Although the exact number of Ukrainians executed by the Russians is unknown, it is believed to be at least seven, the official said, adding that they were soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Lyubinets also said that he had already established the military unit of the Russian troops behind the shooting. Killing prisoners of war is a violation of the Geneva Convention and is a war crime.

“This incident should be documented as another violation of international humanitarian law by Russia,” Lyubinets wrote. “I will immediately send official letters to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross demanding that they document and publicly acknowledge that the Russian military is killing Ukrainian prisoners of war.”

Reports of torture or killing of Ukrainian prisoners of war during Russian detention have appeared since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.

Last week, the Ukrainian military announced that Russian forces had killed two Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Donetsk region. The 110th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on February 19 that the Russian military promised to evacuate wounded Ukrainian soldiers in Avdiivka, but instead shot five Ukrainian soldiers.

Also, on February 18, Russian troops killed three Ukrainian prisoners of war near Robotyn, Zaporizhzhia region, the Prosecutor General’s Office reports.

“For the Russian army, the Geneva Conventions, rules and customs of war mean nothing. They act according to their “conventions”, “rules” and unspeakable “customs” – cruelty, treachery and meanness,” wrote Lyubinets.

At the “Ukraine. Year 2024” conference on February 25, Lyubinets reported that 28,000 Ukrainian citizens are currently in Russian captivity.

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