Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov on Oct. 29 apparently boasted about using Ukrainian prisoners as human shields, claiming there were casualties among the captives after a drone strike on Chechnya.
The Russian Special Forces University of Vladimir Putin in the Chechen city of Gudermes was damaged by a drone attack early on Oct. 29, marking the first drone strike against Russia's North Caucasus republic.
Putin's ally Kadyrov, who accused Ukraine of the attack, initially said that the targeted building was empty and there were no casualties, only to change his statement later on and claim that Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) were killed as a result.
Kyiv did not claim responsibility for the attack nor commented on Kadyrov's claims.
"Up to 10 Ukrainian prisoners are held at each strategic facility in the (Chechen) republic, including on the territory of the Russian Special Forces University," Kadyrov claimed on his Telegram channel.
The use of prisoners as human shields is banned under the Geneva Convention and classified as a war crime.
"Kyiv, trying to harm us, killed its own soldiers today," the dictator said, providing no evidence to back his allegations.
A Ukrainian intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent on Oct. 29 that the drone strike was possibly launched from the neighboring republics of Dagestan or Ingushetia and may have been connected to a feud between Kadyrov and officials from the two regions.
Speaking to the media after the strike, Kadyrov also said that he ordered all of his commanders fighting against Ukraine "not to take prisoners and destroy" Ukrainian soldiers as retribution.
Ukraine has documented over 100 cases of Russia summarily executing Ukrainian POWs since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets clarified that the actual number is likely much higher since it is difficult to document Russian war crimes without supporting evidence, such as videos of the executions.
The Kyiv Independent has reached out to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POWs) for comment but has not received a response at the time of the publication.
Daniel Kochis
(Updated: )
