Russian troops killed two Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered as prisoners of war (POW) in Donetsk Oblast, the Strategic Communications Directorate of Ukraine’s Armed Forces confirmed on the evening of Dec. 2.
In a video published by the Ukrainian DeepState Telegram channel on Dec. 2, a group of soldiers appear to kill two other soldiers emerging from a trench. One of the two had his hands behind his head.
The Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the violation of the rules and customs of war. Killing of POWs violates the Geneva Convention and constitutes a war crime.
According to prosecutors, Russian troops entered Ukrainian positions near the village of Stepove in Donetsk Oblast. When two Ukrainian soldiers were forced to surrender, the Russian soldiers shot them dead.
The DeepState Telegram channel reported that the soldiers served in Ukraine's 45th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade.
“Russia has once again proved that it is a terrorist country for which there are no laws and norms of international law,” Ruslan Stefanchuk, a speaker of Ukraine's parliament, said on X on Dec. 3.
Oleksandr Shtupun, the spokesman for the Tavria group of forces, told the Kyiv Independent on Dec. 3 that a group of Russian troops participated in killing Ukrainian POWs were killed in action.
“According to the report on the ground, that group of the enemy (no longer) exists,” Shtupun said.
Alexander Khrebet
