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Ukraine investigating execution of 322 POWs by Russia, prosecutors say

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Ukraine investigating execution of 322 POWs by Russia, prosecutors say
An aerial view of the Ukrainian flags wave over thousands of graves of servicemen killed during the ongoing Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine in a local cemetery in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 17, 2024. ( Narciso Contreras / Anadolu via Getty Images)

Ukraine is investigating evidence that Russian forces executed at least 322 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs), the Prosecutor General's Office reported on Oct. 6 in response to a request from Ukrinform.

According to the statement, 263 Ukrainian soldiers were executed on the battlefield, while 59 others were killed in the 2022 Olenivka prison explosion in the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast.

Ukrainian POWs held in Russian captivity often face torture, abuse, and inhumane treatment, according to Ukrainian officials and human rights groups.

Many former POWs have reported beatings, starvation, and psychological pressure.

To date, 80 criminal proceedings have been opened, the Prosecutor General's Office said.

Nine Russian servicemen have been formally charged, while indictments against six of them have already been submitted to court. Two have been convicted, and two more cases remain under judicial review.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Kyiv has brought back more than 7,000 Ukrainians, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Over 2,500 Ukrainian POWs remain in Russian captivity, Ukraine's Interior Ministry said on Sept. 5.

Years of torture, abuse in Russian captivity take shocking toll on Ukrainian POWs
Editor’s Note: This article was selected through a vote by members of the Kyiv Independent’s community. Become our member today and join our exclusive members-only Discord channel, where you can discuss and suggest stories, ask our journalists questions, and more. This article contains graphic descriptions. In almost two years of Russian captivity, former Ukrainian marine Vladyslav Zadorin lost 60 kilograms — half his body weight — along with his gallbladder and nearly his toes. He returned ho
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Kateryna Denisova

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Kateryna Denisova is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, covering Ukrainian domestic politics and social issues. She joined the newsroom in 2024 as a news editor following four years at the NV media outlet. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. She was also a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.

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By infiltrating Ukrainian positions in small infantry groups, Russia has accumulated around 200 troops within Pokrovsk, the General Staff reported. These personnel are engaging in "intense" small arms and drone clashes with Ukrainian troops in the city.

While Ukraine also lacks Western-supplied weapons, soldiers and commanders say shortages of basics — cars, drones and people — make holding back Russia extremely difficult. Even as Kyiv seeks U.S. approval for Tomahawks, they say critical, rudimentary gear is the more pressing need.

Russia faces an increase in the arson and “spontaneous combustion” of electrical panels, railway relay cabinets, and other infrastructure helping Moscow wage its war against Ukraine over the past week, a source at Ukraine’s military intelligence told the Kyiv Independent.

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