Associated Press journalists showed a video of the execution of four Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian soldiers.
The execution was filmed by Ukrainian and Russian drones near the village of Pyatykhatky, in Zaporizhzhia, on March 13, 2025. The video shows Ukrainian servicemen emerging from a destroyed house at gunpoint — one with his hands raised to surrender to Russian troops — and lying face down in the grass.
In a video from a Ukrainian drone obtained by AP journalists from European military personnel, Russian soldiers shoot Ukrainian prisoners of war in the back. Two Russians shoot the prisoners at close range, while a third shoots a captured Ukrainian in the head.
The same video is being shared on Russian military channels — but it cuts off at a point where the Ukrainian prisoners of war are still alive. One Russian military blogger captioned it: “The enemy decided not to die and left with his hands up.”
Ukraine has repeatedly stressed that the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war is not an isolated incident, but a systemic policy of Russia. At least 245 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been documented to have been killed since the start of the full-scale war. However, the Kremlin denies this.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhyi commented on the Associated Press video of the execution of four Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian soldiers, emphasizing that such executions have become systemic.
"These executions not only show that we are dealing with beasts. They also show that the Russian army is a collection of degenerates. They lack basic discipline, since disciplined armies do not execute prisoners of war — this contradicts military logic," Tykhyi wrote.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed that those responsible must be held accountable. He also thanked the Associated Press for its work, which showed how the Russians are fabricating videos to cover up atrocities by their military.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.