Two Ukrainian National Guard soldiers killed by Russian troops near Dobropillia
Prosecutors say Russian forces shot dead two Ukrainian National Guard soldiers they had captured near Dobropillia on Sept. 2.
The Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported that on Sept. 2 Russian soldiers captured two Ukrainian National Guard members conducting a combat operation near Dobropillia and killed them with automatic fire. Ukrainian investigators, led by the Security Service of Ukraine, have opened a war-crimes case under Article 438 of the national criminal code. Prosecutors are conducting urgent measures to determine the exact circumstances and identify the Russian personnel involved.
The killings breach the Geneva Conventions, which forbid the execution of prisoners of war. Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, has previously recorded at least 337 similar POW executions by Russian forces up to the end of 2025. The case underscores ongoing allegations of widespread violations by Russian troops in the conflict.
Why it matters
The alleged execution highlights ongoing war-crime violations in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and may prompt further international scrutiny.
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