News Feed

Russian soldiers executed 3 unarmed Ukrainian POWs in Donetsk Oblast, prosecutors say

1 min read
Russian soldiers executed 3 unarmed Ukrainian POWs in Donetsk Oblast, prosecutors say
The photo published by Ukrainian prosecutors purportedly shows Russian troops who shot Ukrainian prisoners of war near the village of Novopil in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on May 3, 2025. (Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office)

Russian troops shot three unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) on May 3 near the village of Novopil in Donetsk Oblast, the regional prosecutor's office reported on May 6.

The execution of prisoners of war is a breach of the Geneva Conventions and qualifies as an international crime.

Russian soldiers captured three Ukrainian servicemen during the assaults near Novopil and forced them to lay down their arms. The Russian military then shot the Ukrainian soldiers, according to Ukrainian prosecutors.

The case is being investigated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights, appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the U.N. for a response.

"The international community should immediately respond to the following systemic gross violations by Russia," Lubinets wrote on Telegram.

Ukraine has previously documented widespread violations of the Geneva Conventions by Russian forces, including the execution of 177 captured Ukrainian soldiers as of mid-December 2024.

Visual evidence of such atrocities continues to emerge, reinforcing concerns over Moscow’s systematic violations of international law.

Avatar
Kateryna Hodunova

News Editor

Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

Read more
News Feed

"If we see an opportunity to pull together talks that are productive, not counterproductive, and that have the chance to be fruitful, we're prepared to play that role," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

Our members don't just provide our funding; they also encourage us, share story ideas, and go to incredible lengths to help Ukraine. We are constantly impressed by our members' kindness and generosity, so we decided to find out more about where they come from and why they choose to support us.

Show More