A senior Ukrainian military commander has made the grave accusation that Russian forces are systematically executing Ukrainian prisoners of war who attempt to surrender, with the number of killings rising sharply across the front line.
Intercepted Orders Reveal Systematic Killings
Major Oleh Shyriaiev, a decorated Hero of Ukraine who commands the 225th Separate Assault Battalion, told The Times that his unit routinely intercepts Russian military communications. In these transmissions, he states, Russian military leaders are heard giving direct orders to kill surrendering Ukrainian troops.
"The number of executions is growing and this is happening in all directions of the front line," Shyriaiev said. "For Russians, there are no red lines... This practice has become a systematic one, I would say, in the last year and a half."
He accused Russian forces of acting with impunity and showing a blatant disregard for the established rules of warfare and international conventions.
Mounting Evidence of Alleged Atrocities
Combat observers and Ukrainian prosecutors report a significant increase in evidence of alleged war crimes in recent months. This includes:
- Drone and soldier footage appearing to show servicemen being lined up and shot after surrendering.
- One specific clip from near Pokrovsk on 19 November allegedly shows a soldier firing a machine gun at four unarmed, prone men before shooting another who tries to flee.
- Investigations into claimed beheadings and an incident where a bound Ukrainian soldier was allegedly killed with a sword.
Yuri Belousov, head of the war crimes department at Ukraine's Prosecutor-General's Office, confirmed the alarming trend. "The upward trend is very clear, very obvious," he stated, noting a particular rise in cases during the summer and autumn. He emphasised these are not isolated incidents but appear to be part of a wider policy.
Official Ukrainian figures state that at least 147 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been executed by Russian forces since the 2022 invasion, with all these killings occurring this year, aligning with the commander's observations.
International Context and Denials
The United Nations has also recorded a rise in alleged Russian war crimes since mid-November, according to Danielle Bell, who leads the UN human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine.
These revelations starkly contradict previous statements from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has claimed Ukrainian POWs are treated "strictly in line with international legal documents and conventions."
The allegations emerge amidst ongoing diplomatic efforts. The report was published as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with US President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday 29 December to discuss a potential peace plan. While Trump described the talks as "terrific," he acknowledged significant hurdles remain before any deal with Russia can be secured.
