The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine has launched an investigation into the execution of five Ukrainian soldiers by Russian invaders near the village of Petrivka, Pokrovsk district, Donetsk region.
According to the Office's statement on Facebook, under the guidance of the Donetsk regional prosecutor’s office, a pretrial investigation has been initiated for the war crime involving intentional murder (Article 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
Preliminary information indicates that in November 2024, Russian forces launched an assault on the positions of Ukraine's Defense Forces near the village of Petrivka. As a result of the attack, five Ukrainian soldiers were forced to retreat and take shelter in a private house. After surrounding the building, the Russian troops captured the Ukrainian defenders. The prisoners were forced to leave their shelter unarmed and lie on the ground. In violation of international humanitarian law, the invaders executed the prisoners using automatic firearms.
Investigations are ongoing to establish all the details of the crime and identify those responsible. The Prosecutor General's Office emphasized that the killing of prisoners of war is a serious violation of the Geneva Conventions and qualifies as a grave international crime.
