Russian occupiers killed four National Guard servicemen in the Selidovoy district of Donetsk region. Before the execution, the NSU fighters were taken prisoner.
Points of attention
- Russian occupiers killed four National Guard servicemen at positions in the Selidovoy district.
- The killing of Ukrainian prisoners of war is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and qualifies as a grave international crime.
- Russian occupiers execute Ukrainian prisoners of war purposefully and systematically, in violation of international regulations.
- ISW analysts have confirmed Russia's use of chlorpicrin and other chemical agents against the Ukrainian military in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
- The low discipline of Russian troops and the lack of punishment for soldiers for systematic war crimes confirm impunity in the region occupied by Russian troops.
Russian soldiers killed Ukrainian prisoners of war again
As reported in the Prosecutor General's Office, on October 6, four soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine performed service and combat tasks at positions in the area of Selidove.
Around 1:00 p.m., the occupying forces launched an assault on the fortifications, during which they captured our defenders. Later, the representatives of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation recorded the interrogation of the wounded, unarmed National Guardsmen on video, the report says.
The next day, the Defense Forces regained the lost positions.
During the search, the bodies of the killed Ukrainian servicemen were found.
The Prosecutor General'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.
Under the procedural leadership of the Donetsk regional prosecutor's office, a pre-trial investigation was started in criminal proceedings on the fact of violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
Russian occupiers purposefully and systematically execute Ukrainian prisoners of war
According to ISW analysts, according to Ukrainian officials, on October 18, Russian forces executed two unarmed prisoners of war of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the settlement of Selidove in Donetsk region. Prisoners of war were shot at close range with their hands tied.
Also, on October 20, a Russian military correspondent published a video and claimed that Russian forces were using chlorpicrin — a chemical agent that damages the lungs — against Ukrainian troops.
On May 1, the US State Department confirmed Russia's use of chlorpicrin and other chemical agents, which violates the Chemical Weapons Convention signed by Russia.
Ukrainian official sources also previously reported that the Russians are increasingly using grenades equipped with chloropicrin.
ISW analysts concluded that such systematic war crimes show the low discipline of Russian troops and the lack of punishment for soldiers for violating the laws of war.
There is no evidence that Russia is holding Russian personnel accountable for the reported violations of the laws of war, ISW concluded.
