Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets appealed to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to find out all the circumstances of the possible murder of six soldiers of the 110th brigade from the "Zenit" stronghold during their exit from Avdiivka.
"As the ombudsman of Ukraine, I urgently sent letters to the ICRC and the UN to record this war crime and clarify all the circumstances. I note that this is not the first time that Russia grossly violates the norms of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions by executing prisoners of war," Lubinets noted.
- On February 17, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi ordered the withdrawal of troops from Avdiivka in Donetsk region. He explained this decision by the need to preserve life.
- On February 18, the Russian media shared a video with the bodies of dead Ukrainian soldiers from the positions of "Zenit". The bodies were identified by family members of the military and informed the journalists of "Investigations. Info". Ukrainian defenders Heorhiy Pavlov, Andriy Dubnytskyi, and Ivan Zhytnyk are on them. Oleksandr Zinchuk and Mykola Savosik were also with them. Information about the sixth fighter has not yet been confirmed.
- On February 19, the command of the 110th brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Russians promised to evacuate the wounded Ukrainians from the "Zenit" position and then exchange them. This was agreed through the mediation of the coordination center and the organizations conducting the negotiations. The brigade said that the enemy agreed to the evacuation, but instead the Ukrainians were shot.
- The prosecutorʼs office is investigating a violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code).