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The United Nations has raised concerns over an increase in the killing of captured Ukrainian soldiers by Russian forces in recent months, reinforcing growing accusations from officials in Kyiv.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, both countries have accused each other of committing war crimes, including the execution of prisoners of war.
The UN monitoring mission in Ukraine reported that, since late August last year, it has documented 79 such killings in 24 separate incidents carried out by Russian forces.
Danielle Bell, head of the UN mission, stated that these incidents were not isolated. She pointed out that public figures in Russia have openly called for harsh treatment and even executions of captured Ukrainian soldiers.
Bell warned that, when combined with broad amnesty laws, such statements could encourage further unlawful actions.
“These incidents did not occur in a vacuum. Public figures in the Russian Federation have explicitly called for inhumane treatment, and even execution, of captured Ukrainian military personnel.
“Combined with broad amnesty laws, such statements have the potential to incite or encourage unlawful behaviour,” she said in the statement.
The report also noted one case where Ukrainian forces allegedly executed a wounded and incapacitated Russian soldier last year.
Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets has repeatedly urged the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to investigate evidence of Ukrainian prisoners being killed.
