The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, cited in a UN press release on Monday, Feb. 3, has documented 24 separate incidents in which Russian troops have executed 79 captured Ukrainian soldiers since late August – which are war crimes.
The UN report was based on video and photo evidence, obtained from both Ukrainian and Russian sources, which it said had been verified using geolocation, chronolocation [time confirmation] along with eyewitness testimonies. It said these incidents occurred in areas where it had been documented that Russian forces were conducting offensive operations.
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Danielle Bell, Head of Mission said “… these incidents did not occur in a vacuum. Public figures in the Russian Federation have explicitly called for the inhumane treatment, and even execution, of captured Ukrainian military personnel.”
“Many Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered or were in the physical custody of the Russian armed forces were shot dead on the spot. Witness accounts also described the killings of unarmed and injured Ukrainian soldiers.”
The Crimean Human Rights Group, that monitors and documents human rights violations and war crimes, summarized more than a dozen public calls by senior Russian political and military figures as well as journalists that “there would be no mercy for those fighting for Ukraine.”
This included a statement to that effect by Russian General Konashenkov that was broadcast on most Russian state TV channels in March 2022. Another was when Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic told the state-run Vainakh TV channel Oct. 29 last year that he had ordered his troops on the front line in Ukraine not to take prisoners.
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The UN report said that in addition to these “official” calls several pro-Kremlin milbloggers have and continue to endorse or order the behavior.
It underlined that international humanitarian law declares that “no quarter” given constitutes a war crime.
“All allegations of execution of captured Ukrainian military personnel and public statements calling for, or condoning, such actions must be investigated,” Bell stated.
She urged military commanders to issue clear and unequivocal orders to ensure the humane treatment of all captured, surrendering and wounded personnel.
The findings confirm the ongoing ill-treatment and murder of prisoners of war that constitute war crimes, that have been suspected since the start of Russia’s two invasions of Ukraine in 2014 and 2022.
However, the majority of commentators, while applauding and acknowledging the thoroughness of the UN investigations, think it is undeniable that Russia and its leadership are unlikely to be held accountable as the war continues.
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