**Russia’s Brutal Treatment of Ukrainian POWs: 150 Cases of Summary Execution**
In a disturbing revelation, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) has documented over 150 cases of Ukrainian soldiers being brutally executed after surrendering to Russian forces. This alarming figure was announced on May 24, sparking concern about the systematic treatment of prisoners of war by Russian authorities.
**A Deliberate Policy of Murder**
According to HUR, these executions are not isolated incidents but part of a deliberate and systematic policy of the Russian leadership. Intelligence officials have cited multiple instances where Russian troops received direct orders to kill prisoners of war, demonstrating a shocking disregard for human life and international law.
**Conflicting with Human Rights**
The U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has confirmed this pattern of war crimes in its report released on March 19. The commission found a growing number of cases where Russian forces deliberately killed or maimed Ukrainian soldiers who had surrendered or attempted to surrender. Witnesses and verified media content revealed that prisoners, including unarmed or wounded soldiers, were shot on the spot, often in areas of active Russian military operations.
**The Human Cost**
Since 2024, there has been a sharp rise in executions of Ukrainian POWs by Russian forces. In February, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine raised alarm over 79 documented cases of POW executions across 24 separate incidents. These gruesome crimes demonstrate a complete disregard for human rights and international humanitarian law.
**A Growing Concern**
As Kyiv and Moscow began their largest prisoner exchange since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, concerns about the treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war have grown. The scale of these atrocities highlights the urgent need for accountability and action to prevent further human suffering.
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