Ukraine’s ombudsman appeals to Russian counterpart over abuse of Ukrainian POWs by invaders

The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, officially appealed to the Russian Ombudsperson, Tatyana Moskalkova, to initiate criminal proceedings against Russian soldiers who abused Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Kharkiv region’s warzone.

Lubinets reported this on the air of the national telethon, Ukrinform reports.

"I officially appealed to Moskalkova demanding that criminal proceedings be launched by Russia’s law enforcement against Russian soldiers," the ombudsman said.

He recalled that, according to the Geneva Conventions, law enforcers shall be obliged to do so in such cases. At the same time, Lubinets expressed doubt that Russia would follow through on these obligations.

"Of course, after we get - if we get – a response, it will most likely be negative for us. But then the Russians will once again confirm that the refusal to open criminal proceedings against their soldiers is a violation of international humanitarian law by Russia’s law enforcement," he said, adding that "we have not applied similar mechanisms before."

The commissioner also emphasized that the UN and International Committee of the Red Cross were informed about the case of brutal treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian soldiers.

"We hope that one day, the International Criminal Court, including as regards improper treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war, will not just open proceedings, but also issue arrest warrants for Russia’s top military and political leadership," the ombudsman said.

As reported, a video is circulating on social media showing the abuse of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian troops, involving beatings, humiliation, threats, and simulated execution. According to tentative reports, the video was shot recently in the Kharkiv axis.

Ukraine’s prosecutors have initiated criminal proceedings into the fact.