In Kharkiv region, Russians shot four Ukrainian prisoners of war, and in Zaporizhzhia Oblast – they killed an evacuation group
In the Kharkiv Oblast, the Russian military shot four Ukrainian prisoners of war, and in the Zaporizhzhia region, they killed a Ukrainian evacuation group with FPV drones, the analytical project DeepState reported.
According to DeepState data, the execution occurred near the village of Vetrynarne in the Kharkiv region. As analysts note, the Russian military entered Ukrainian positions and took prisoner four fighters of one of the mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, whereupon they shot them. DeepState emphasizes that such actions are a violation of the laws and customs of war.
In addition, analysts of the DeepState reported that near Huliaipilske in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the Russian military attacked an evacuation group of Ukrainian servicemen with the help of FPV drones. As a result of the strike, the wounded and members of the evacuation group died.
DeepState notes that the attack occurred despite statements about a so-called “Easter ceasefire.” Other details regarding the number of dead and the circumstances of the events are being clarified.
To provide background, at the end of November last year, in the Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian military killed five captured Ukrainian fighters.
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Earlier, ZMINA reported that since August 2024, reports of executions of Ukrainian fighters by Russians have significantly increased; some of those guilty of such crimes are being tried in Ukraine, and this is happening not only in absentia.
On July 24, 2025, the OSCE invoked the Moscow Mechanism after 41 participating states, in consultation with Ukraine, requested that the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights examine the treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russia. Ukraine established a mission of three experts on August 15 to investigate possible violations of OSCE commitments, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law.
The OSCE mission found that Russia systematically denies prisoner of war status to Ukrainian combatants, subjects them to widespread torture and ill-treatment, including severe beatings, electric shocks, sexual violence, and mock executions, and conducts arbitrary killings and executions both on the battlefield and in detention.
Russian officials’ public statements declaring “no quarter will be given” encourage summary executions. Detention conditions fall below international standards, with overcrowding, inadequate food and medical care, and forced labor. POWs are denied fair trial guarantees through coerced confessions and unfair proceedings, while family communication and International Committee of the Red Cross access remain severely restricted. The mission concluded these violations constitute war crimes and, in some cases, arguably crimes against humanity.
At least 13,500 members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been captured by Russia since February 2022. Approximately 169 have died in captivity, nearly 6,800 have been released, and an estimated 6,300 remain in detention across multiple sites in Russia and temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.
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