Key facts
- Five Ukrainian service members were killed and one injured in Kharkiv Oblast on Oct. 13.
- The suspected attacker was a Russian prisoner of war who had reportedly escaped captivity.
- The incident occurred around 4:00 p.m. in a residential building.
- The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office confirmed an investigation is underway.
- The 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade confirmed the deaths of its servicemen in the incident.
A Russian prisoner of war reportedly escaped captivity and killed five Ukrainian service members in Kharkiv Oblast on Oct. 13, according to Ukrainian media reports.
Around 4:00 p.m., a man in civilian clothing approached a building housing members of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade. He opened fire, killing one service member before entering the house and killing four others, Glavkom reported. A source in the military command in the Kharkiv region told BBC Ukraine that the suspected attacker was a Russian prisoner of war. The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office confirmed an investigation was underway, stating that an unknown person killed five service members of Ukraine's armed forces in a residential building in Kharkiv Oblast on Oct. 13. The office did not identify any suspects as Russian POWs but said investigators were examining several possible motives, including links to a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group.
The 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade confirmed the incident, stating that "On October 13, a tragic event occurred in the territory of Kharkiv region, as a result of which servicemen of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians died." The brigade added, "According to preliminary information, persons who are likely citizens of the Russian Federation may have been involved in the incident."
Glavkom reported that the shooting lasted for about two hours, while BBC Ukraine added that residents called the local police station at 4:20 p.m. about the incident. Another service member was injured in a neighboring village, according to Glavkom. Glavkom also stated that two servicemen of the Russian armed forces fled captivity in Kharkiv Oblast. BBC Ukraine reported that the attacker was described as a man between 160-170 cm tall, with a lean physique, dark hair, an unkempt beard, wearing dark blue jeans, a long-sleeved black jacket, and carrying a grey backpack and a machine gun. The search for the attacker is ongoing.
In a separate note on prisoner exchanges, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War stated on Oct. 6 that Ukraine had taken 858 more Russian servicemen into captivity than Ukrainians were taken into Russian captivity since mid-2023, an average of 107 per month. The headquarters added that Ukraine provides bonuses for taking Russian soldiers as prisoners, as each Russian soldier might be an opportunity to exchange Ukrainian service members or civilians in Russian captivity.