Ukraine has accused Russia of executing prisoners of war as part of an official war policy, a claim supported by documented evidence that suggests widespread war crimes and a lack of military oversight within Russia’s ranks, according to a new report.
The allegations come amid growing tensions between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as Trump pushes for a diplomatic resolution to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. However, Ukraine’s war crimes department has prioritized investigations into reported executions of prisoners of war, describing the issue as “priority number one.”
“It’s definitely part of the policy,” said Ukraine’s chief war crimes prosecutor, Yuriy Belousov, in an interview with the *Financial Times* (FT). “It’s a system that we see.”
The Financial Times has reportedly uncovered evidence supporting Ukraine’s claims, indicating that these executions are not isolated events but part of a broader strategy within Russia’s military. One piece of evidence allegedly identifies a Russian soldier, Oleg Yakovlev, 32, as a participant in mass executions of Ukrainian prisoners.
A now-deleted video posted on YouTube in January reportedly shows Yakovlev in a hoodie, ordering six unarmed Ukrainian prisoners to walk toward a pile of logs before executing them at close range. The video was traced back to Yakovlev, whose call sign “Sara” matches the name he uses in online rap videos.
Forensic experts are currently analyzing the voices in the video to confirm Yakovlev’s involvement. While initial findings show strong similarities, no definitive forensic confirmation has been made.
Yakovlev has denied the allegations, claiming that the Russian soldier in the video “killed those guys for a reason,” according to the report. Despite these accusations, Yakovlev’s military brigade was honored by Russian President Vladimir Putin in July for “bravery and heroism.”
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly three years ago, Ukraine’s war crimes unit has opened 125,000 cases. In 2024 alone, 43 incidents involving the execution of prisoners of war have been recorded, with 133 suspected deaths.
The Financial Times also uncovered over 30 documented cases of prisoner executions through drone and mobile footage from the front lines. These findings have raised concerns about the Russian military’s chain of command and whether these acts are sanctioned by higher authorities in the Kremlin.
Russia has not responded to requests for comment regarding the accusations but has previously dismissed similar claims as “propaganda.”
“On any territory where they have a fight now with our guys, our soldiers are all at high risk of being executed,” Belousov told the *Financial Times*. “Again, it’s a sign of the policy.”
As international scrutiny increases, the investigation into these war crimes continues, with pressure mounting on global leaders to address potential human rights violations in the ongoing conflict.
