Security Service of Ukraine launches investigation into killing of two unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russians

Kyiv, Ukraine (Svidomi) — The SSU Main Directorates in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions have launched a pre-trial investigation into the killing of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russians, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine reports.

On February 9, a video of the shooting of Ukrainian soldiers by Russians during the seizure of Ukrainian Armed Forces positions near the village of Klishchiivka, Bakhmut district, was posted online.

A Russian drone recorded the shooting.

According to the prosecutor's office, the video shows that the commander of one of the Russian army units is likely to give an order not to take the enemy prisoner during the storming of the Ukrainian army trenches.

During the attack on the positions, the Russian military shot one unarmed Ukrainian prisoner who was approaching them with his hands up. Another was killed by throwing a grenade into a dugout.

The killing of prisoners of war is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and is classified as a serious international crime.

The SSU is investigating a criminal proceeding over the violation of the laws and customs of war combined with premeditated murder.

This is not the first time that Russians have killed Ukrainian prisoners of war. At the end of December 2023, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine accused Russian servicemen of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division of shooting three Ukrainian prisoners of war.

One of the largest murders of Ukrainian prisoners of war was a terrorist attack on the night of July 28-29, 2022, in a colony in the temporarily occupied Olenivka, Donetsk region, resulting in the deaths of more than 50 Ukrainian defenders of Mariupol. More than 100 others were injured.