UN Condemns Torture and Killing of Ukrainian and Russian Prisoners of War

The UN Human Rights Office’s mission in Ukraine has documented dozens of summary killings of Ukrainian and Russian prisoners of war (POWs) as well as torture, the use of human shields and other abuses since Russia invaded its neighbour, according to a report that says such actions could amount to war crimes. The report was based on interviews with about 400 POWs, half of them Ukrainians who were released and the other half Russians held captive in Ukraine. The UN rights office also documented five cases in which Ukrainian POWs had died after being tortured or otherwise ill-treated and four cases of death due to a lack of medical attention during internment.