The Ukrainian Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, has urgently called on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations (UN) to address a disturbing image circulating online.
The photo allegedly shows a Ukrainian prisoner of war (POW) who was brutally mutilated and killed by Russian forces.
Lubinets stated, “The image appears to depict a Ukrainian POW whose head and limbs have been severed by Russian captors. This is not only a gross violation of the Geneva Convention on the treatment of POWs but also an act of barbarity. International humanitarian law strictly prohibits any form of physical mutilation, violence, or murder of POWs.”
He has demanded that the ICRC and the UN document this latest violation of human rights by Russia. Additionally, he has called on Ukrainian law enforcement agencies to investigate the identity of the deceased POW and verify the facts surrounding this crime.
Lubinets emphasized, “POWs are under the care of the enemy state, which bears full responsibility for their treatment. The responsibility for this atrocity lies not only with the individual soldiers but with the Russian Federation itself.”
The Ombudsman also expressed concern that by spreading such images and committing these acts, Russia aims to instill fear among Ukrainians, both civilians and military personnel.
This incident adds to a growing list of war crimes and human rights violations committed by Russia during the ongoing conflict, further complicating efforts to reach a peaceful resolution.