This was reported by the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office.
"On February 20, a video of the execution of three Ukrainian defenders taken prisoner by Russian army soldiers was posted on the Internet. The incident took place on February 18, 2024 near the village of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia region," the statement said.
The execution of prisoners of war is a grave international crime. Proceedings have been opened for violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
On February 17, the command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces decided to withdraw troops from Avdiivka and move to more favourable positions.
The commander of the Tavria direction, General Tarnavskyi, said that during the withdrawal from Avdiivka, "a number" of Ukrainian soldiers were taken prisoner by Russia.
On February 18, it was reported that Russian forces shot 6 Ukrainian prisoners at the Zenit position in Avdiivka.
Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets appealed to the Red Cross and the UN to investigate the shooting of prisoners in Avdiivka. He noted that five of the victims were known to be dead, while the fate of another defender is unknown.