Ukrainian law enforcement officials have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the execution of five Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian servicemen in the Polohivskyi district of Zaporizhzhia region, the Prosecutor General's Office reports.
"According to preliminary information, on November 24, 2024, near the settlement of Novodaryvka in the Polohivskyi district, where active combat operations are ongoing, Russian military personnel executed five of the six Ukrainian defenders who had been captured," the agency's statement read on Thursday.
The prosecutor's office emphasizes that law enforcement has identified the Russian military unit involved, and personnel are being investigated for their involvement in the crime.
"Investigators have also obtained a video recording that captures the moment of the execution," the statement continued. The office reminded that the killing of prisoners of war is a serious violation of the Geneva Conventions and is classified as a grave international crime.
Under the procedural guidance of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Prosecutor's Office, a criminal case has been opened for violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), according to the Prosecutor General's Office.
The pre-trial investigation is being carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine's investigators in Zaporizhzhia region.
