Since December 2023, Russian occupiers have executed at least 15 Ukrainian defenders who attempted to surrender as prisoners of war. Additionally, Russians have shot dead at least six members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces who had already surrendered.

This information comes from a report by the human rights organization Human Rights Watch.

According to human rights activists, confirmed cases of executions of prisoners of war or soldiers who sought to surrender should be investigated as war crimes.

"The summary execution – or murder – of surrendering and injured Ukrainian soldiers, gunned down in cold blood, expressly forbidden under international humanitarian law, is also included in that shameful legacy," said Belkis Wille, Deputy Director of Crisis and Conflict at Human Rights Watch.

Human Rights Watch investigated three instances of the apparent summary execution of at least 12 Ukrainian soldiers by verifying and analyzing drone footage posted on social media on December 2 and December 27, and on February 25, 2024. In these cases, the soldiers demonstrated a clear intent to surrender and, since they were no longer taking part in hostilities, were considered hors de combat and not targetable under international humanitarian law, or the laws of war.

Human Rights Watch verified the location of two of the three incidents based on the footage, but due to the lack of geographic details in the videos, was unable to determine the exact location of the third. Human Rights Watch was unable to verify which party operated the drone that captured the footage in these cases.

A still frame extracted from drone footage filmed near Ivanivske village in the Donetsk region of Ukraine moments before Russian soldiers shoot at seven surrendering Ukrainian soldiers at close range. © GloOouD, X (formerly known as Twitter), 2024.

Human Rights Watch investigated a fourth instance by analyzing another video clip posted on social media on February 19 showing two Russian soldiers executing three surrendering and unarmed Ukrainian soldiers. Although the account that posted the clip stated the location of the incident, Human Rights Watch has not been able to verify the location independently.

A still frame extracted from drone footage filmed in a field between Verbove and Robotyne vilages in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, shortly before a Russian soldier shoots at three surrendered Ukrainian soldiers at close range. © stanislav_osman, Telegram, 2024. 

For the fifth incident, the investigation relied on an interview with a Ukrainian soldier, a video posted to a Telegram channel on February 16, and in-depth media coverage including interviews with family members of one of the victims. The information suggests that six soldiers were executed in the incident, though the circumstances were less clear.

The human rights organization sent a request to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, asking for comments on the incidents described above. Moscow did not provide a response.