Key facts
- Russian troops allegedly executed two Ukrainian prisoners of war near Dobropillia on September 2.
- The Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office announced the incident on September 11.
- The Security Service of Ukraine is investigating the case as a war crime.
Russian troops allegedly shot dead two Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) near the eastern city of Dobropillia on September 2, the Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office said on September 11. According to the pretrial investigation, the two National Guard soldiers were captured by Russian troops while carrying out a combat mission in a forest belt near Dobropillia. The Russian soldiers then allegedly shot the servicemen with automatic weapons. The Security Service of Ukraine is investigating the case under Article 438 of Ukraine's Criminal Code, which covers war crimes resulting in death. Investigators are carrying out urgent measures to identify the Russian servicemen allegedly involved. The execution of prisoners of war is prohibited under the Geneva Conventions and constitutes a war crime. Ukraine has documented widespread violations of the Geneva Conventions by Russian forces, including the execution of at least 337 captured Ukrainian POWs as of the end of 2025, according to Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets.