As of early July, Russian forces have executed 268 Ukrainian prisoners of war. The Ombudsman’s Office believes these executions could be carried out under orders from Russia’s top military leadership.
Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said this during a press conference marking his third anniversary in office, Ukrinform reports.
“According to our data, investigations are currently underway into the execution of 268 Ukrainian POWs by Russian soldiers. We’ve seen a sharp increase in this number over the past year,” Lubinets said.
He emphasized that such actions are unlikely to occur without approval from Russia’s top military command.
“We understand that this treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war is sanctioned from the very top. Unfortunately, this is the reality we’re witnessing,” he added.
Lubinets earlier sent letters to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the brutal killing of an unarmed Ukrainian POW by Russian forces. A video circulating on social media appears to show a person tied to a motorcycle and dragged along a road — an act believed to depict the execution of a Ukrainian prisoner.
Source: Russian forces executed 268 Ukrainian POWs as of early July – Lubinets
