Russian forces execute three Ukrainian POWs in Ukraine's Donetsk region
Illustrative photo: Russians executed three captured Ukrainian soldiers in Donetsk region (Getty Images)
Russian soldiers are believed to have shot three Ukrainian soldiers who were taken prisoner in the Donetsk region. The unarmed soldiers were executed, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General.
According to operational information, on May 3, 2025, three Ukrainian servicemen were carrying out combat missions near the village of Novopil, part of the Velykonovosilkivska community in the Volnovakha district.
During the assault, Russian forces surrounded the Ukrainian defenders. Russians forced them to surrender and lay down their weapons.
"Realizing that the soldiers of the Ukrainian Defense Forces could no longer resist, representatives of the Russian Armed Forces shot them with automatic weapons," the statement says.
The Prosecutor's office reminded that the intentional killing of prisoners of war is a severe violation of the Geneva Conventions and is classified as a serious international crime. Urgent investigative actions are underway to determine all the circumstances of the incident and identify those responsible for committing this crime.
Execution of Ukrainian Prisoners of War
According to Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets, in 2024, the execution of 109 Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces was officially confirmed. He also stated that over the previous years, a total of 177 cases of Ukrainian defenders have been documented.
In February 2025, a video surfaced online showing the execution of Ukrainian soldiers captured by Russian forces in the Kursk region. The footage shows a Russian soldier deliberately shooting a Ukrainian prisoner of war in the head. According to one of the Ukrainian soldiers, the executed individuals were members of the 82nd Brigade.
