20,000 people chose to be part of the Kyiv Independent community — thank you.

Skip to content
Edit post

'Shoot them on the spot' — Ukraine's military intel records over 150 cases of Russia executing POWs

by Anna Fratsyvir May 24, 2025 10:56 AM 2 min read
Graves of temporarily unidentified Ukrainian soldiers at Krasnopilske Cemetery in Dnipro, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, on Feb. 12, 2025. (Viacheslav Ratynskyi)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) has documented more than 150 cases of Ukrainian soldiers being summarily executed after surrendering to Russian forces, the agency said on May 24.

The agency noted that this figure includes those cases recorded by HUR, suggesting the actual total may be higher. The statement came as Kyiv and Moscow began their largest prisoner exchange of the full-scale war.

There has been a sharp rise in executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) by Russian forces since 2024.

Intelligence officials have cited multiple instances in which Russian troops received direct orders to kill prisoners of war. According to HUR, these acts are not isolated incidents but part of a deliberate and systematic policy of the Russian leadership.

This pattern of war crimes has also been confirmed by the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. In a report released on March 19, the commission found a growing number of cases in which Russian forces deliberately killed or maimed Ukrainian soldiers who had surrendered or attempted to surrender.

"Several (Russian deserters) told the commission that they had received orders not to take prisoners but kill them instead," the U.N. report read. One described a deputy brigade commander saying, "Prisoners are not needed, shoot them on the spot."

In February, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine raised alarm over a sharp increase in executions of Ukrainian POWs by Russian forces, documenting 79 POW executions across 24 separate incidents since late August 2024, some involving group killings.

The U.N. findings, based on witness testimony and verified media content, describe Ukrainian POWs, including unarmed or wounded soldiers, being shot on the spot, often in areas of active Russian military operations. The mission also noted public calls by Russian figures and military-linked social media accounts for such killings.

Chaos to coordination: the evolution of POW swaps in the Russia-Ukraine war
The nature, size, and political significance of prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia have evolved significantly over the three and a half years of the full-scale war, accelerating sharply in recent weeks. While ceasefire and peace negotiations have gone through periods of halts and bursts, increasingly institutionalized prisoner exchanges are

Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.

We’re working hard to show the world the truth of Russia’s brutal war — and we’re keeping it free for everyone, because reliable information should be available to all.

More than 20,000 people chose to stand behind us. We’re deeply grateful and overwhelmed with your support. Thank you for making it possible.

Let´s see how far we can go?

News Feed

5:27 PM

What Russia's 1 million casualties mean for Ukraine.

The Kyiv Independent's Chris York sits down with George Barros, team lead for the Russia and Ukraine portfolio at the Institute for the Study of War, to discuss what Russia’s approaching one million casualties mean for its war effort in Ukraine. They explore how the Kremlin might generate more forces — and what impact this could have on Russia’s economy.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.