Ukraine Investigates New Allegations of POW Murders by Russian Troops, According to Reuters

Ukrainian prosecutors announced on Friday that they have initiated an investigation into the reported shooting of three surrendering Ukrainian servicemen by Russian forces on the eastern front near Pokrovsk, a key area of conflict.

The Prosecutor General’s office detailed the incident on Telegram, stating that it occurred after Russian troops attacked a trench utilized by the Ukrainian military for protection on August 27. According to the report, the soldiers emerged from the damaged trench and knelt with their hands on their heads when Russian forces opened fire.

Ukrainian drone footage purportedly capturing the incident showed the three men kneeling and falling to the ground within moments of the shooting. However, the authenticity of the video has not been independently verified, and there has been no immediate response from Russian officials.

Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin shared on X that Kyiv is looking into the alleged executions of 73 Ukrainian prisoners by Russian troops. He noted that there has been a rising number of such documented cases.

Kostin emphasized that these acts are part of Russia’s severe violations of international humanitarian law, with Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhyi describing the actions as a disgrace to humanity. The Kremlin has denied accusations of war crimes in Ukraine, while Kyiv asserts that it has recorded nearly 130,000 alleged war crimes committed by Russia since the February 2022 invasion.