Russia executes 16 Ukrainian POWs: Prosecutor General's Office launches investigation

The Prosecutor General's Office reports.

On October 1, media circulated reports of the alleged execution of 16 POWs by Russian forces. Video footage showed Ukrainian soldiers, controlled by the invading forces, being led out of a forested area. As the prisoners lined up, the Russians opened fire, deliberately killing them.

"The wounded, still showing signs of life, were finished off at point-blank range with automatic fire," the Office stated.

The report highlights that such actions by Russia grossly violate the Geneva Conventions and constitute a severe international crime.

"This is the largest recorded execution of Ukrainian POWs on the front line. It further proves that the killing and torture of prisoners is not incidental but part of a deliberate policy by Russia's military and political leadership," said Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin.

Currently, efforts are underway to verify the released footage. Investigative steps to uncover the full details of the crime have been initiated.

Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets plans to report this atrocity to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

• Previously, Russian forces executed three Ukrainian soldiers who had surrendered in the Toretsk region.