The Financial Times (FT) published an investigation on February 20, according to which Russian military commanders are either complicit or directly allow their subordinates to execute Ukrainian prisoners of war - in clear violation of international law. This confirms the long-standing assessment of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reports News.bg.
The investigation provides additional details and analysis. The data shows a significant increase in confirmed reports of executions in 2024 compared to the first two years of the war. The FT and experts from the Center for Information Resilience have analyzed footage proving that Russian forces carry out the executions. Ukrainian front-line units are often the main source of these reports.
According to the FT, Ukrainian prosecutors sometimes learn about the executions from materials published online. Experts interviewed said many Ukrainian units were not reporting executions because it had become "routine". They believe the real number of cases is in the hundreds - far more than the "dozens" officially recorded.
The investigation suggests that senior Russian commanders may also have been involved in issuing execution orders. Ukrainian authorities have opened investigations into 43 executions involving 109 victims in 2024, and the FT has analysed footage from 30 cases involving 133 victims. Most executions have taken place in eastern Ukraine and the Zaporizhia region.
The president of Global Rights Compliance, Wayne Jordash, who is supporting the Ukrainian investigations, said Russia was pursuing a "strategy of crime" that included torture, sexual violence and the mistreatment of civilians. According to him, the executions are part of this criminal campaign aimed at weakening the Ukrainian army and security.
Jordash emphasizes that international law also holds accountable those who fail to prevent war crimes. He mentions specific Russian leaders, including Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev and the head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov, who have openly called for executions. In addition, Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised the 155th Marine Brigade, which is involved in the beheading of Ukrainian prisoners of war in 2024.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) recently reported on a "culture of torture" and mistreatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russian penal colonies, with the system itself encouraging such abuses.
Ukrainian intelligence reports that North Korean forces are conducting joint operations with Russian troops in the Kursk region. Lieutenant General Kirill Budanov said that about 4,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded in the region. They were operating in small groups, changing their tactics to minimize casualties.
On February 20, U.S. Special Representative for Russia and Ukraine Keith Kellogg met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. They discussed the situation on the battlefield, the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war, and guarantees for Ukraine's security. Zelensky stressed the country's readiness to conclude a "strong and effective investment and security agreement" with the United States.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin is trying to portray China as supporting the Russian narrative on the war in Ukraine. The foreign ministers of Russia and China met at the G-20 forum, but official statements from the two sides revealed discrepancies in their positions.