Human Rights Watch exposes executions of surrendering Ukrainian soldiers by Russian troops

Human Rights Watch investigated three cases of the mass execution of at least 12 Ukrainian soldiers, verifying and analyzing drone footage, which was published on social media on December 2 and 27, 2023, and February 24, 2024.

In these instances, the soldiers clearly intended to surrender, and since they were no longer participating in combat activities, they could not be targeted under international humanitarian law and the laws of war.

Human rights activists identified the locations of two of the three events, but due to the lack of exact geographical data in the videos, they could not determine the exact location of the third. Human Rights Watch could also not determine who owned the drone that filmed these events.

HRW also verified a fourth case by analyzing another video that appeared on social media on February 18, 2024. It shows two Russian soldiers shooting three unarmed Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered.

Although the owner of the account where the video was posted indicated the event's location, Human Rights Watch could not independently verify it.

The investigation of the fifth event was based on an interview with a Ukrainian soldier - video footage posted on Telegram on February 15, 2024 - and media reports, including interviews with family members of one of the deceased. Available information suggests that six soldiers were executed in this case.

In one of the five incidents, which took place on February 24, 2024, a verified drone video posted on the internet, including on the X service, shows at least seven Ukrainian soldiers emerging from a trench located among trees between two fields, removing their bulletproof vests. At least one also removed his helmet.

All lay face down, and five Russian soldiers aim at them with machine guns (Russian soldiers can be recognized by the visible red bands on their arms and legs). Then, three of them shoot from behind and from both sides toward the Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered.

Six Ukrainian soldiers remain face down and react to the shots; one tries to return to the trench, but before he can, he is hit by a bullet. The incident took place near the village of Ivanov in the Donetsk region. The exact location was first confirmed by EJShahid, a GeoConfirmed volunteer, and later by researchers at Human Rights Watch.

The Human Rights Watch organization noted that "The apparent executions do not appear to be isolated instances."

Researchers from Human Rights Watch also identified a recording from a Russian drone published on February 4, 2024. The video captures a single moment of battle.

In this case, researchers at Human Rights Watch could not determine if the Ukrainian soldiers had surrendered. In the recording, a male voice gives orders to Russian soldiers during the battle in the Donetsk region. The voice speaks in Russian: "Take no prisoners, shoot everyone"