In Ukraine, nearly 500 cases are being investigated regarding the mistreatment of prisoners of war by Russians.

Recently, there has been an increase in reports of Russians killing captured Ukrainian soldiers. This is a war crime that has no statute of limitations. Currently, Ukrainian prosecutors are overseeing procedural guidance in 488 criminal cases related to the abuse of 4139 Ukrainian prisoners of war.

This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General in response to an information request from ZMINA.

Ukrainian investigators and prosecutors are looking into the mistreatment of military prisoners, particularly torture and their killings by Russian military personnel. Information about these war crimes is being added to the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations as provided by Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

In more than 50 criminal cases, evidence of the killings of over 150 Ukrainian prisoners of war has been established.

Currently, 30 individuals have been suspected of mistreating prisoners of war, indictments have been sent to court against nine people, and one conviction of a Russian soldier has been made in absentia.

Law enforcement has identified 49 places of detention for Ukrainian prisoners of war on the territory of Russia, 16 prisons in temporarily occupied territories, and six prisons for civilians.

“Separate records regarding the victims and initiated criminal cases concerning the mistreatment of prisoners of war from the International Legion of Defense are not being maintained,” stated the Office of the Prosecutor General.

ZMINA submitted an information request to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, as well as to the press service of the International Legion of Defense of Ukraine, seeking information about the number of legionnaires held captive in Russia and the war crimes committed against them. However, they received a refusal to provide such information citing confidentiality.

From Russian sources, it is known that there have been several dozen convictions of captured legionnaires. Additionally, around 70 criminal cases against eight hundred legionnaires have been sent to Russian and illegal occupation courts.

It is also known that prosecutors provided procedural guidance in more than 50 criminal cases concerning the killings of over 150 Ukrainian prisoners of war. In these criminal cases, four individuals have been suspected of the murders of five Ukrainian prisoners of war. Three indictments have been sent to court against three individuals who committed crimes of this category.

As a result of the proceedings, courts have issued two guilty verdicts against two Russian soldiers who killed prisoners during the occupation of the villages of Sloboda and Lukashevka in March 2022. The Office notes that instances of executions and killings of Ukrainian prisoners of war have increased in 2024.

Recently, a Russian soldier named Alexander gave an interview to the "FederalPress" resource, where, in response to a question about why the number of executions of captured Ukrainian soldiers has increased, he said: “It shows that we know how to be cruel.”

“A prisoner is someone who has surrendered in battle. If the enemy fought back until they ran out of ammunition and ended up in captivity, they are not a prisoner: they did not intend to surrender. They fought for their life and lost. The one who won the battle should decide what to do with them next,” the Russian concluded.

It is worth reminding that more than 300 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been convicted by illegal occupation and Russian courts.