Russia has deliberately executed 337 Ukrainian prisoners of war as of the end of 2025, Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said in a statement published on his Telegram channel following his address at the UN Human Rights Council.
Lubinets said the killings are part of a broader pattern of abuse in Russian captivity. He cited UN data showing that more than 95% of Ukrainian POWs are subjected to systematic torture.
“Russia has turned torture into a state policy and is using it as a weapon. As of the end of 2025, 337 Ukrainian prisoners of war were consciously and brutally executed by Russians,” Lubinets said.
Executions violate Geneva Conventions
Under international humanitarian law, prisoners of war are protected from violence, torture, and execution. The deliberate killing of captured soldiers constitutes a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions and qualifies as a war crime.
Lubinets urged the international community to urgently increase pressure on Moscow, ensure full documentation of every crime, and bring those responsible to justice.
“This issue is critically important - the world cannot remain on the sidelines,” he added.
