U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission: Both Russia and Ukraine have killed, abused POWs

The U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) published a report on the treatment of war prisoners, which says that both sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict have participated in extrajudicial executions of military personnel.

The report contains data on the killings of at least 25 Russian and 15 Ukrainian prisoners of war.

“We are deeply concerned by summary executions we’ve recorded, carried out by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, of up to 25 Russian prisoners of war and individuals who had ceased participation in combat. This frequently happened immediately after a person was taken prisoner, on the battlefield,” said the head of the mission, Matilda Bogner, at a press conference in Kyiv. “Although we know that the Ukrainian authorities are investigating 5 such cases, we are not aware of legal proceedings concerning 22 victims.”

Bogner added that in preparing the report, the mission had spoken to 229 Russian prisoners of war, almost half of whom reported abusive conditions.

“We are also deeply concerned by the summary executions of 15 Ukrainian service members who were taken prisoner by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,” she continued, noting that in 11 cases the executions were carried out by Wagner Group mercenaries.

Of the 203 Ukrainian prisoners of war interviewed by the mission, 67 percent fell into Russian hands after their commanders agreed to surrender. Most Ukrainian prisoners captured during combat were tortured and abused by Russian soldiers and FSB officers, reports the HRMMU. 

Bogner did not mention any investigations on the Russian side into extrajudicial executions of war prisoners.