Russian soldier charged with executing Ukrainian POW
Sergey Tuzhilov (t.me/SBUkr)
Russian soldier Sergey Tuzhilov is suspected of executing a Ukrainian POW and now faces a life sentence, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reports.
As law enforcement officials noted, Sergey Tuzhilov is a 36-year-old Russian citizen and a rifleman-assault soldier in the 69th Motorized Rifle Division of Russia's 6th Army. He had previously been prosecuted for robbery and drug trafficking.
"Tuzhilov took part in the battles near Vovchansk in June 2024. During the assault on a local factory, Russian soldier, together with an accomplice, executed three Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen who had been taken prisoner," the SBU reported.
Tuzhilov personally shot a bound Ukrainian soldier in the back of the head with his service weapon. He also selected the execution sites for two other prisoners of war and then guarded the "perimeter" during the killings.
The captured Ukrainian soldiers died on the spot. Prior to the executions, Russian troops tortured them by tying them to poles.
Ukrainian defenders later avenged these atrocities by destroying Tuzhilov's unit; he was the only member taken prisoner.
Tuzhilov has been charged with aiding and abetting the cruel treatment of prisoners of war, intentional homicide, and other war crimes. He now faces a possible life sentence.
Executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war
The execution of Ukrainian defenders by Russian forces is not an isolated occurrence. Moreover, such atrocities have become more frequent recently.
In particular, on June 4, the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) released intercepted communications showing that a commander ordered his soldiers not to take Ukrainian fighters prisoner but to execute them.
