A UN human rights monitoring mission has expressed concern about a sharp increase in executions of Ukrainian soldiers captured by Russian forces. Since the beginning of August 2024, 79 executions have been recorded in 24 incidents.
Many Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered have been executed on the spot. Eyewitness accounts describe numerous cases where even wounded or unarmed soldiers were killed without any trial or investigation. This often occurred during active fighting, with executions carried out in front of other soldiers or local residents. It is also known that there were incidents when the wounded were executed, despite the fact that they could not resist. This indicates a systematic pattern of such acts of violence, committed without any attempt to comply with international humanitarian law.
The execution of a wounded Russian soldier by Ukrainian forces has also been documented.
As of December 2024, Ukraine had confirmed the execution of 177 prisoners of war since the escalation of the conflict. The geography and chronology of events indicate that these executions occurred in areas where Russian offensive military operations were conducted.
UN representative Danielle Bell noted: «Public figures in the Russian Federation have openly called for the inhumane treatment and even execution of captured Ukrainian servicemen. Combined with broad amnesty laws, such statements may incite or encourage unlawful conduct.»
In turn, the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also reported an increase in the number of executions of Ukrainian prisoners by Russian soldiers, emphasizing that Russian commanders are likely «condoning, encouraging, or directly ordering» the executions.