Russian forces execute captured National Guard soldiers in Donetsk region
Illustrative photo: Russian forces executed two captured National Guard soldiers (Getty Images)
Russian forces shot dead two Ukrainian defenders who had been taken prisoner in the Donetsk region. Law enforcement officers have already launched an investigation into the war crime, according to the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office.
Details of the crime
The tragedy occurred on September 2, 2026, in a forest belt near Dobropillia.
Two servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine were carrying out a combat mission at a firing position, where they were captured by Russian forces.
Subsequently, Russian servicemen executed the unarmed Ukrainian soldiers, shooting them with automatic weapons.
Law enforcement response
A pre-trial investigation has been launched into the incident as part of criminal proceedings under Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the laws and customs of war resulting in the death of people).
Investigators from the Security Service of Ukraine in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions are currently carrying out urgent investigative actions to establish all the circumstances of the shooting and identify the specific Russian servicemen involved in the crime.
The prosecutor's office emphasized that the killing of prisoners of war is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and qualifies as a serious international crime.
Executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war
This is far from the first case of Russian forces executing Ukrainian prisoners of war, but rather part of a systematic criminal practice by the aggressor.
Earlier, in July 2026, Russian forces executed a Ukrainian prisoner of war in the Donetsk region after an interrogation. According to law enforcement officials, the criminal order to shoot the unarmed defender was given immediately after the interrogation.
In addition to extrajudicial executions on the battlefield, Russian forces torture and kill Ukrainians in places of detention.
According to Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets, the deaths of at least 375 Ukrainians in Russian captivity have now been officially confirmed.
The ombudsman noted that investigators have documented nearly 700 different forms of torture that Russia systematically uses against prisoners.
