Russia is shooting more and more Ukrainian prisoners of war

Ukrainian sniper Alexander Matsiewski was captured by the Russians in the first year of the full-scale invasion. A video later emerged of him smoking his last cigarette in the woods, apparently next to the grave he was forced to dig.

“Glory to Ukraine!” he says to his captors. A moment later, shots are fired and he falls dead.

His punishment is one of many.

It is reported that in October of this year, nine captured Ukrainian soldiers were shot by Russian forces in the Kursk region. There are Ukrainian prosecutors case investigation including a photo showing half-naked bodies lying on the ground. This photo was enough for one of the dead, the drone operator Ruslan Galubenko, to be identified by his parents.

“I recognized him by his underwear,” – said his confused mother local broadcaster Suspilnaye Chernigov. “I bought him before the trip to the sea. I also knew he had a shot in the shoulder. You saw it in the photo.’

The list of executions goes on. The Ukrainian prosecutor’s office is investigating reports with beheading and a sword was used to kill a Ukrainian soldier with his hands tied behind his back.

otherwise, video showed 16 Ukrainian soldiers who were apparently lined up and then machine-gunned after emerging from the woods to surrender.

Some of the executions were filmed by the Russian military themselves, while others were watched by Ukrainian drones hovering above them.

Killings captured on such videos usually take place in the woods or in fields with no distinguishing features, making it difficult to confirm their exact location. However, BBC Verify was able to confirm several cases – such as one beheading — that the victims are dressed in Ukrainian uniforms and that the videos are fresh.

Ukrainian prosecutors claim that since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russian forces have executed at least 147 Ukrainian prisoners of war, 127 of them this year.

“The growth trend is very obvious, very obvious,” says Yurii Belavusov, head of the military department of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine.

“Executions have become systematic since last November and have continued throughout this year. Unfortunately, their number has increased especially this summer and autumn. This indicates that these are not isolated cases. They are happening over wide areas and there are clear signs that they are part of the policy – there is evidence that guidance is being issued to that effect.”

International humanitarian law – especially of the Third Geneva Convention – offers protection to prisoners of war, and their execution is a war crime.

Despite this, Ramzan Kadyrov, the strong leader of Russian Chechnya, did not last long – ordered his commanders participated in the war in Ukraine “so as not to take prisoners”.

Rachel Danber, deputy director of Europe and Central Asia at Human Rights Watch, says there is no shortage of evidence to support allegations that Russian forces have tortured Ukrainian prisoners of war. According to her, impunity plays a key role, and the Russian army has several serious questions.

“What instructions did these units receive, formal or informal, from their commanders? Do their commanders explain clearly enough what is stated in the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war? What do Russian commanders tell their units about their behavior? What steps is the command taking to investigate these cases? And if senior management does not investigate or take action to prevent such actions, do they know that they are also criminally responsible and may be prosecuted?” – she asks.

So far, there is no indication that Russia is officially investigating claims that its forces executed Ukrainian prisoners of war. There is even a mention of such accusations are punished by long prison terms in Russia.

According to Vladimir PutinRussian forces have “always” treated Ukrainian prisoners of war “strictly in accordance with international legal documents and international conventions.”

Ukrainian forces were also accused execution of Russian prisoners of war, but there were much fewer such statements.

Yuri Belavusov says that the Ukrainian prosecutor’s office takes such accusations “very seriously” and is investigating them, but no one has been charged yet.

According to Human Rights WatchSince the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Russian forces have committed “a litany of violations, including those that should be investigated as war crimes or crimes against humanity.”

The rating of abuses by the Russian army is such that some Ukrainian soldiers prefer death to capture.

“He told me: Mom, I will never give up, never. Forgive me, I know you will cry, but I don’t want to be tortured,” says Ruslana Galubenko’s mother. Her son is still officially listed as missing, and she is hopeless.

“I will do everything possible and impossible to get my child back. I keep looking at this photo. Maybe he’s just unconscious? I want to believe, I don’t want to think that he is no longer there.”