Russia is likely ordering its soldiers to kill Ukrainian servicemen who surrender. This is evidenced by intercepted radio communications and drone footage, according to LB.ua citing CNN.
In particular, it concerns the execution of six Ukrainian fighters in the east of the Zaporizhzhia oblast in November last year.
A lead UN investigator and a representative of Western intelligence told CNN that the radio transmissions and drone recordings are consistent with other instances where russian troops allegedly executed Ukrainian servicemen who surrendered.
Morris Tidball-Binz, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, called such incidents "serious violations" of international law, adding that in his opinion, such behavior could only be sanctioned by the highest authority in russia.
"They wouldn’t be happening with such number and frequency without an order—or at least consent—from the top military command, which in russia means the office of the president", - he said.
Russian officials have previously denied that their soldiers committed war crimes and insisted that the russian federation treats prisoners of war in accordance with international law.
A Western intelligence representative told CNN, having reviewed the audio files of the interceptions, deemed them "authentic, credible, and consistent with previously documented brutal executions". He said it was clear that "a soldier received an order to execute Ukrainian soldiers who had surrendered".
He stated that he is reviewing similar materials in other cases that confirm authorization from the russian command to kill Ukrainian soldiers who have surrendered or are in the process of surrendering.