Human Rights Ombudsman Reports Execution of 345 Ukrainian POWs by Russian Forces Since 2022
At least 345 Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered have been executed by Russian troops, with extensive evidence of torture and violations against POWs.
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, at least 345 Ukrainian military personnel who surrendered to Russian forces have been executed on the battlefield, according to Dmitry Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament's Commissioner for Human Rights.
Addressing a press conference on August 12, Lubinets detailed that these figures are based on video evidence documenting the incidents. He stated, "At least 345 Ukrainian servicemen took all measures to surrender. This means they laid down their arms, raised their hands, lay on the ground, showing they were no longer engaging in combat." Despite this, Russian soldiers reportedly shot the surrendered Ukrainian soldiers at point-blank range.
Legal and Human Rights Implications
Lubinets emphasized that the killing of prisoners of war constitutes a war crime under the Geneva Conventions and should be legally classified as the execution of POWs. This represents a serious breach of international humanitarian law, with profound consequences for Russia’s accountability in the conflict.
"The murder of surrendered servicemen is a war crime and must be treated as the execution of prisoners of war," Lubinets stated.
Beyond battlefield executions, Ukrainian authorities have verified through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that 375 Ukrainians—both military personnel and civilians—have died in custody after being registered as prisoners of war. Lubinets noted, "All of them were returned home on stretchers, meaning the Russian Federation handed over the bodies of 375 tortured Ukrainian citizens to us." This figure highlights the toll of detention conditions and abuse beyond combat zones.
Further reports indicate widespread use of torture against Ukrainian POWs detained in Russia, involving nearly all methods outlined in the United Nations’ Istanbul Protocol, an international standard for identifying and documenting torture. These methods include beatings, electric shocks, sexual violence, psychological pressure, intimidation with dogs, and mock executions.
Lubinets quantified the abuses as 695 documented forms of torture and 860 cases of improper detention conditions. He underscored that "95% of Ukrainian POWs were subjected to systematic torture in Russian prisons." This data raises serious concerns regarding Russia's compliance with international norms and the treatment of war detainees.
The revelations have significant implications for the ongoing conflict’s humanitarian and legal landscape, signaling potential avenues for international investigations and prosecutions related to war crimes and prisoner abuse. The severity and scale of these abuses also factor into the broader assessment of the war’s human cost and the challenges facing Ukraine's defense and diplomatic efforts.
