In the eerie clip circulating on Telegram, two surrendered Ukrainian soldiers emerge from a shelter, their hands up high. Sadly, moments later, they lie motionless on the ground as a group of soldiers fires rounds, resulting in a cloud of smoke before the video abruptly ends. Alas, the footage's origin and date remain uncertain, with the AFP failing to verify its authenticity or location.
Telegram user Lubinez voiced his outrage over the incident, labeling it a grave violation of the Geneva Conventions. He claimed that Russia once again displayed its "terrorist face" by disregarding international law.
The Ukrainian ombudsman expressed deep concern over the fate of the unarmed soldiers. He asserted that the surrendered men posed no threat whatsoever and should have been treated as prisoners of war.
Remarkably, a similar occurrence in March sparked outrage across the internet, where a Ukrainian soldier supposedly shouted "Glory to Ukraine" before being allegedly executed.
UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk highlighted the distressing records of international law violations against Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian soldiers and their allies, which include "numerous summary executions, targeted attacks on civilians, and 621 cases of enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests."
Russia dismissed the allegations as fabricated, yet the Ukrainian government and worldwide community echo the demand for an exhaustive investigation.
Eastern Ukraine, specifically the Awadijiwka region, has remained a battleground for Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatists since 2014.
Insights from Enrichment Data
Subsequent investigations have reported a worrying spike in documented executions of Ukrainian soldiers captured by Russian forces. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has recorded at least 79 such incidents since late 2024, with credible evidence collected in areas of ongoing Russian offensive operations.
Furthermore, three public figures in the Russian Federation have openly advocated for the inhumane treatment of Ukrainian military personnel, which infringes on international humanitarian law and constitutes a war crime.
The Ukrainian authorities have also identified numerous instances of Geneva Conventions violations by Russian forces during the conflict, with 177 captured Ukrainian soldiers confirmed to have been executed as of mid-December 2024, including 109 in the previous year.
