Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, one of the most horrifying patterns to emerge has been the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war. These are not isolated events. They reflect a systemic disregard for international humanitarian law by Russian forces. Ukrainian prosecutors have documented 273 cases of executed POWs, with nearly half of those recorded in 2025 alone.
Yet despite the magnitude of the crime, convictions remain rare. Only two Russians have been convicted in connection with these killings. Seventy-seven criminal cases have been opened by Ukrainian authorities, but only three have reached trial. It remains uncertain whether those convictions were in absentia or achieved through actual legal proceedings. The data paints a stark picture: the number of trials is a mere fraction of the documented executions.
Patterns of Systematic Executions
A Deliberate Policy?
The consistency and frequency of POW executions suggest a disturbing degree of intent. Ukrainian intelligence reports and intercepted communications imply that Russian soldiers are instructed not to take captives. These are not battlefield mistakes. These are cold blooded executions that are oftentimes being committed not only in front of other people but some are even filmed and posted.
One of the most haunting was witnessed in March 2023, the month that was marked by a film taken by a Ukrainian sniper Oleksandr Matsievskyi standing in a trench, shouting: “Glory to Ukraine”, a few seconds before he was kidney-shot. There were Russian soldiers that had made him dig his own grave. His case horrified the world and came to typify the cruelty of Ukrainian prisoners of war.
Numerous extrajudicial killings have been reported around Avdiivka and Robotyne with surrendering troops killed after raising their hands. In 2025, these incidents have increased more since Russia had stepped up attacks on Ukrainian defense posts in the eastern side of Ukraine.
Torture and Ill-Treatment of POWs
Widespread Abuse in Detention
Execution is only one aspect of the mistreatment. Victims of torture talk of a similar pattern of degrading treatment. The Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) of the United Nations interviewed 174 Ukrainian prisoners of war. One hundred and sixty-nine (169) of them recorded that they were either tortured or ill-treated. The methods consisted of beating, electric shock therapy, asphyxiation, and sexual assaults.
The incident of the explosion in Olenivka prison in 2022 is still in the air. Approximately 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war lost their lives in what Ukraine said was a targeted Russian assault. A lot of people who died were members of the Azov Regiment. Russia accused the Ukrainian HIMARS attack, but investigators of the UN did not find evidence to prove their point. Italy has agreed to international investigations that Ukraine still insists should occur.
The Challenge of Accountability
Legal Barriers in War
The dismal conviction rate points to a complex set of challenges. War zones inherently hinder law enforcement. Access to evidence, protection of witnesses, and physical custody of suspects all become difficult or impossible. In many cases, suspects are still active on the front lines or residing in Russia, beyond the reach of Ukrainian justice.
Even international courts face serious limitations. The International Criminal Court has initiated investigations, but these are slow-moving and rely on cooperation that Russia has refused to provide. Without extradition, most suspects remain untouchable.
Political Obstruction and International Pressure
Ukrainian officials argue that the chain of command is complicit. Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets noted that the treatment of POWs is not just tolerated but likely ordered. “This is sanctioned at the very top,” he stated during a June 2025 press briefing.
The European Parliament and UN have condemned the crimes and called for accountability. Still, Russia’s global alliances and its veto power at the UN Security Council limit the scope of international action. Despite mounting evidence, bringing the perpetrators to justice remains elusive.
The Human Toll and Global Implications
Grief Without Closure
The personal impact on families is immeasurable. Many relatives of POWs live in limbo, lacking confirmation of death or access to remains. The pain of enforced disappearance compounds the trauma, especially as videos of executions circulate online.
Since February 2022, the UN Human Rights Council has documented 170 POW executions and at least 29 civilian deaths in Russian detention. As of mid-2025, over 2,000 Ukrainians remain in detention in Russian-controlled territories, often under brutal conditions. These detentions are typically devoid of legal recourse.
Documentation and the Role of International Investigators
Despite Russia’s resistance, international investigators continue to gather evidence. OHCHR recent report dated December 2024 to May 2025 lists 106 new further instances related to POW executions of which a majority took place in Donetsk and Kursk oblasts. Ukrainian military intelligence has established over 150 such incidents in the same period.
These figures have however been estimated to be understated. Some incidents of crimes cannot be reported or verified because of limited access in frontline locations or in Russian-controlled areas. With the war dragging on, it is only going to come out with more stories (possibly even worse than those, as of yet, were reported).
Propaganda, Impunity, and the Culture of Violence
Russian state media either ignores or distorts these crimes. They instead amplify claims of Ukrainian abuse, creating a false equivalence. Disinformation muddies international discourse and hinders political consensus.
Disturbingly, Russian military bloggers have shared videos of executions with pride. In May 2025, one such video surfaced showing a Ukrainian soldier being dragged behind a motorcycle, his hands bound. The video, widely condemned as a display of “demonstrative cruelty,” points to a normalization of war crimes in certain circles of the Russian military.
Ukraine’s Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets remarked,
“These are not rogue actions. This is systematic terror, filmed, celebrated, and shared as trophies.”
Toward Justice and International Support
Ukraine continues to pursue every possible channel for justice. The convictions that have occurred, while limited, reflect an institutional effort to enforce accountability, even under war conditions.
International support is crucial. The execution of Ukrainian POWs by Russian forces continues into 2025, revealing a pattern that defies simple explanation and demands action. As documentation grows, the gap between the scale of atrocities and the number of convictions grows more difficult to justify. Each untried case deepens the wound and chips away at the promise of international justice.
Voices from the Field
This individual has addressed the issue during an interview with the most well-known international news channel and demonstrated the difficulties and the importance of putting war crimes on trial that continues to occur in the state of war. The professor emphasized the challenge of achieving convictions as those in custody move freely in the territory under the unfriendly state and the significance of international cooperation to eliminate the accountability gap.
Their research supports a developing belief: justice is feasible, but it can be achieved only under pressure, cross-border coordination, and long-term commitment.
The Road Forward
The killing of Ukrainian POWs by Russian troops is going to extend into 2025, disclosing the pattern that is not so easy to explain and requires an intervention. As the amount of documentation increases, it becomes harder to excuse the lack of connection between the magnitude of atrocities, and the amount of convictions.
AS much as it is in the determination of Ukraine to bring the perpetrators to justice, it all depends on the desire of the international community. The mechanisms involved in war crimes prosecution will face a test of credibility in the face of future years that would never be witnessed before. The way the world is going to react to these crimes might set the parameters on how to take responsibility in a future war.