Azov POW killed in Russian captivity: autopsy reveals brutal violations of Geneva Convention

Sviatoslav Palamar, deputy commander of the Azov brigade, shared the information.

The autopsy results reveal that Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr Ishchenko, who died in Russian captivity at a detention center, succumbed to shock, multiple rib fractures, and closed blunt trauma to the chest caused by contact with a blunt object.

"This is not just another cynical violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War by the Russians. This is a blow to human honor and dignity, to international law, to the principles and values we defend at the front," Palamar wrote.

He also called upon all Ukrainian officials, diplomats, human rights activists, and others with influence on the international stage—at the UN, the Council of Europe, and other global platforms—to take action.

"Everyone should know about this case, from the US to China. The murders of Ukrainian prisoners of war should be the number one topic in the world media and on the agenda of international organizations," the Azov brigade deputy commander said.

What is known about Oleksandr Ishchenko’ death of in the Russian detention center

At the end of July, it became known that a prisoner of war, Ukrainian defender Oleksandr Ishchenko, who served as a driver in the Azov regiment and was captured by Russia in Mariupol in 2022, died in a detention center in Rostov.

The death of the Ukrainian was announced during a hearing in the Southern District Military Court of the Russian Federation, where the case of Ishchenko and 23 other prisoners associated with Azov was considered.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the Russian side had not officially notified Ukraine of the death of the defender or the cause of death.

Ukraine's Ombudsman has sent an urgent letter to the Russian Ombudsman requesting an investigation into the death of prisoner of war Oleksandr Ishchenko. The letter demands information on the circumstances and cause of his death.

Later, the press service of the Azov Regiment confirmed the information about the death of Oleksandr Ishchenko to Suspilne. According to a copy of the death certificate issued in Russia, the date of death of the defender was July 22, 2024.