Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) has documented more than 150 cases of Ukrainian soldiers being summarily executed after surrendering to Russian forces.
It further noted that the actual number might be higher, considering that this figure includes those cases recorded by HUR, Kyiv Independent reported.
It comes after Russia and Ukraine began their largest prisoner swap in three years of war.
Russian forces have been executing Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) and there has been a sharp spike in that since 2024.
Russian troops received direct orders to kill prisoners of war, Ukrainian intelligence officials said. They added that these acts are not isolated incidents but part of a deliberate and systematic policy of the Russian leadership.
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The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine also confirmed these incidents and the pattern of war crimes.
Earlier on March 19, they released a report, stating that 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 UN report read. One described a deputy brigade commander saying, "Prisoners are not needed, shoot them on the spot."
Earlier on Saturday, Ukraine brought 307 Ukrainian soldiers home from Russian captivity in the second phase of its largest prisoner exchange.
It happened as per the agreement of 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, which resulted from the Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul on May 16.
Russia and Ukraine swapped 390 prisoners each in the initial phase on May 23, with the process set to continue until May 25. "In just these two days, 697 people have been brought home. We expect the process to continue tomorrow," Zelensky posted on X.
