Kyiv Accuses Russian Troops of Executing 16 Ukrainian POWs

Russian soldiers allegedly shot dead 16 Ukrainian prisoners of war in eastern Ukraine, marking the largest known execution of POWs in the two-and-a-half-year war, Ukrainian prosecutors said Tuesday.
Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office said videos circulating on social media appeared to show Russian servicemen committing the war crime near the Donetsk region city of Pokrovsk, which Moscow has been trying to capture for months.
According to the agency, Russian troops deliberately opened fire on Ukrainian soldiers who were lined up after being captured in a forest.
“The wounded who showed signs of life were killed at close range by an automatic rifle burst,” Ukrainian prosecutors said.
The Moscow Times could not independently verify where or when the footage was filmed. The Ukrainian prosecutor’s office said it was verifying the published footage.
Russia has not yet commented on the accusations.
“This is the largest known case of execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war on the front line,” the Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office said in its statement.
The office said it had launched an investigation into violations of the laws and customs of war.
Moscow and Kyiv have on several occasions accused the other side of killing prisoners of war since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.