Shooting of Ukrainian prisoners in Avdiivka: Lubinets appeals to Red Cross and UN

According to Ukrinform, Lubinets said this in a post on Telegram.

According to him, Ukrainian soldiers were forced to leave Avdiivka while under continuous bombardment by the Russian army. The evacuation routes and vehicles were shelled, and some seriously wounded and killed soldiers had to be evacuated. Due to the large-scale offensive of the Russian army, there was no opportunity for repeated attempts to evacuate.

The ombudsman reported that due to the complete encirclement of the Zenit stronghold, the command contacted the coordination center and organizations negotiating with the enemy. The purpose of the dialogue was to provide assistance to severely wounded Ukrainian soldiers who were unarmed, in accordance with international laws and rules of engagement that protect prisoners of war.

“The video released by the enemy from the captured Zenit position revealed what happened after these agreements,” stated Lubinets.

The families of the defenders have identified Heorhiy Pavlov, Andriy Dubnytskyi, and Ivan Zhytnyk as deceased. Additionally, Oleksandr Zinchuk and Mykola Savosik were shot by Russian soldiers. The information regarding the sixth soldier has not yet been confirmed.

The Ombudsman has urgently sent letters to the ICRC and the UN to document this war crime and clarify all the circumstances.

"This is not the first time Russia has grossly violated international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions by executing prisoners of war," the Commissioner emphasized.

The Commissioner called on the entire civilized world to unite and increase pressure on Russia.

"For Russia, there are no laws and agreements. They accept only force," emphasized Lubinets.

As Ukrinform earlier reported, on February 18, a message was published on a Telegram channel reporting the execution of six prisoners at a position in Avdiivka. The defenders were seriously injured and awaiting evacuation.

Furthermore, a video recording was discovered containing a fragment of the killing of two more soldiers near the village of Vesele in the Bakhmut district. The drone footage depicts a Russian soldier shooting at point-blank range, first at one captured Ukrainian soldier and then at the second.

The Security Service of Ukraine has initiated a pre-trial investigation into the shooting of unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war in Avdiivka and Vesele.

Photo: Kostiantyn and Vlada Liberov