The United Nations has expressed “deeply concern” at the reported executions of dozens of prisoners of war in Ukraine since Russia’s war of aggression began more than a year ago. “This was often committed immediately after the capture on the battlefield,” said the head of the UN human rights commission in Ukraine, Matilda Bogner, at a press conference in Kiev on Friday.
Most recently, at the beginning of March, a video of an alleged shooting of a Ukrainian prisoner of war by Russian soldiers caused international horror. On the Russian side, the crimes were often committed by the notorious Wagner mercenary group, it said. Of 15 known killings of Ukrainian soldiers, 11 were assigned to the Wagner fighters. At the same time, Ukrainian investigations into the killed Russians were also underway: Five investigations involving a total of 22 victims are known.
According to its own statements, the United Nations interviewed more than 400 people on both sides who are or were prisoners of war for their report. Russia was accused of not allowing the international monitoring teams access to the Ukrainian prisoners.
The majority of the more than 200 Ukrainians who have already been liberated reported abuse before their internment, it said. During interrogations, the detainees were beaten, hooked up to electricity, shot, stabbed and threatened with mock executions by the Russian military and secret service.
The conditions of detention are also very bad on the Russian side. At least five prisoners of war died due to inadequate medical treatment, the UN said. In Russian internment camps, for example, there are systematic beatings. Five prisoners of war died as a result of the abuse.
Of the 200 Russian prisoners of war interviewed, “a good half” reported mistreatment and torture by the Ukrainian armed forces or the SBU secret service, it said. “Prisoners of war were beaten, shot in the legs, stabbed in the limbs, hooked up to electricity, mock executed, threatened with sexual violence or death,” Bogner said.
Russia invaded Ukraine more than a year ago and has since annexed several territories in violation of international law. Including the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which was annexed in 2014, around 20 percent of Ukrainian territory is currently occupied by Russian troops.