The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is currently investigating 116 criminal cases involving the brutal execution of 306 Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian military personnel from February 2022 to April 2026. This shocking data was revealed by Andriy Shvets, Head of the Main Investigative Department of the SBU, in a detailed interview with the media outlet Censor.NET. These war crimes are not merely isolated incidents on the battlefield but part of a deliberate and systematic policy of extermination sanctioned by the highest political and military leadership of the Russian Federation.
According to the information disclosed by Andriy Shvets, the most massive and cruel cases of extrajudicial executions of Ukrainian soldiers have been recorded in the Kursk and Donetsk directions. Russian military forces completely disregard the norms of international humanitarian law, demonstrating absolutely inhuman treatment of those who fall into their captivity. “Here, we observe the most brutal methods of execution — mass shootings, beheadings, and dismemberment of bodies,” Shvets noted.
Investigators state that these extrajudicial executions of Ukrainian defenders by soldiers and officers of the Russian Armed Forces are systemic and large-scale. They are the direct result of instructions from the Kremlin dictator. Shvets explained that following the start of Ukraine’s military operation in the Kursk region in 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly declared all participating Ukrainian military personnel as “terrorists” who must be physically eliminated. Consequently, such war crimes have been actively encouraged and even rewarded with state honors by the Russian military command.
Despite the immense challenges of conducting investigations near active combat zones and under constant enemy fire, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are making significant progress in bringing the perpetrators to justice. As of April 15, 2026, nine Russian servicemen have been officially served with notices of suspicion regarding their direct involvement in the executions of Ukrainian POWs. Seven indictments have already been sent to court, and five individuals have been convicted and sentenced to long prison terms. Previously, it was also reported that a Russian soldier received a life sentence for the cold-blooded shooting of unarmed Ukrainian captives.
The brutality of the Russian occupation forces extends far beyond the execution of combatants on the battlefield. Previous reports have confirmed that during a hypocritically declared Easter “truce,” Russian troops treacherously attacked and killed a Ukrainian evacuation group that was on a humanitarian mission to retrieve the fallen and assist the wounded. These horrific incidents prove once again that any agreements or negotiations with the aggressor hold absolutely no practical value.
The Security Service of Ukraine is diligently collecting an extensive evidence base to be presented before international tribunals, including the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The ultimate goal of these investigations is to ensure that not only the direct perpetrators of these heinous crimes face justice but also the highest echelons of Russia’s political and military leadership who issue the criminal orders. The international community must remain resolute in supporting Ukraine to stop this systematic genocide.