Ukraine’s chief prosecutor says execution of POWs is a deliberate Russia’s policy

The executions of unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war aren’t isolated incidents but rather a deliberate military policy of Russia, Prosecutor-General Andrii Kostin told Belgian media outlet La Libre in an interview.

The number of Ukrainian POWs being executed by the occupiers has risen significantly over the past year, Kostin said. Torture and executions without trial or investigation are being employed as weapons of war, and whose purpose is to intimidate and exterminate.

“We can demonstrate that these instances are not isolated cases but rather organized and targeted policies,” he said. “For instance, we possess an audio recording in which a Russian officer instructs his troops to kill Ukrainians on the battlefield instead of taking them as prisoners.”

Kostin said he is seeking justice to hold Russia and its leadership accountable for the crime of aggression. Ukrainian prosecutors already have a dossier of more than 140,000 documented war crimes.

“Most Russian war criminals have been convicted in absentia by Ukrainian courts. However, a court verdict is essential for restoring justice and healing for the victims,” the Prosecutor-General’s Office stated. 

Starting at the top is crucial to holding the “inspirers of this invasion” accountable, meaning Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and his prime minister, Kostin said. In doing so, this will demonstrate that they can face consequences for their actions despite existing gaps in international law.

“The ICC [International Criminal Court] does not have jurisdiction in this matter, but we are collaborating on a legal framework with around 40 countries worldwide,” he said. “Therefore, if Putin dares to attend the G20 meeting in Brazil, he must be arrested.”