Russia suspected of killing 5 Ukrainian POWs in Kursk Oblast
Russian forces allegedly executed five Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported on March 13.
Lubinets referred to a video circulating on social media that purportedly shows unarmed Ukrainian soldiers killed after being captured by Russian troops.
According to Ukrainian activist Serhii Sternenko, a video of the suspected execution was recorded in Kursk Oblast, near the village of Kozacha Loknya.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
"We once again see a cynical disregard for international humanitarian law on the part of the Russian army," Lubinets said, adding that he had sent letters to the U.N. and the International Committee of the Red Cross to document the suspected war crime.
The news comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to Kursk Oblast on March 12 since Ukraine launched its cross-border incursion into the region in August 2024.
During the visit, which took place amid a rapid Russian advance, Putin declared that Ukrainian military personnel captured in the region "will be treated as terrorists."
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.
The U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported a sharp rise in executions of Ukrainian POWs, documenting 79 extrajudicial killings across 24 separate incidents since August 2024.
Visual evidence of such atrocities continues to emerge, reinforcing concerns over Moscow's systematic violations of international law.
Martin Fornusek
