Russian forces execute five Ukrainian POWs in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, prosecutors say

Russian forces executed five Ukrainian prisoners of war in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the Office of the Prosecutor General reported. 

A criminal investigation has been launched into violations of the laws and customs of war combined with premeditated murder.

According to investigators, the executions occurred on Sunday, November 24, near Novodarivka, Polohy district, an area of active combat. Russian soldiers allegedly shot five of six captured Ukrainian defenders.

The law enforcers have identified the Russian military unit potentially involved in the crime and are reviewing evidence, including a video recording of the killings.

On November 20, it was reported that Russian forces executed two Ukrainian POWs near Pokrovsk. Additional reports suggest that three wounded Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the same area.

The Prosecutor General’s Office is currently investigating 53 cases of POW executions, involving 177 Ukrainian defenders. The majority of these crimes have been recorded in 2024.

War crimes committed against Ukrainian forces have escalated this year. Recent reports show that 80% of battlefield executions documented by Ukrainian authorities occurred in 2024.