The UN has evidence of 129 executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by the Russians

The UN Human Rights Office has released a report documenting widespread war crimes committed by Russian forces, including the executions of at least 16 Ukrainian prisoners of war over a three-month period — between mid-November 2025 and January 2026. In total, since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, the organization has confirmed the executions of 129 Ukrainian defenders and other individuals who had ceased participating in hostilities. 

In addition, nearly all repatriated servicemembers interviewed by UN representatives reported systematic torture, brutal beatings, the use of electric shocks, and denial of medical care while in captivity.

The document separately documents instances of sexual violence against prisoners of war and civilians, as well as numerous violations by the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including arbitrary detentions, forced conscription of the local population, the abolition of the Ukrainian curriculum, and the militarization of children through military-patriotic education. The report contains clear recommendations for the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and the international community on strengthening the protection of civilians and holding those responsible to account. This comprehensive report is based on a detailed technical analysis, satellite imagery, 1,926 interviews with victims and witnesses, as well as dozens of visits by the monitoring mission to places of detention, hospitals, and sites of incidents.