Russian state news agency RIA Novosti has reported a concerning development in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. According to the report, Russian authorities are sending Ukrainian prisoners of war (PoWs) to the frontlines to fight on Moscow’s side in the war.
Video footage released by RIA Novosti showed Ukrainian PoWs swearing allegiance to Russia, brandishing rifles, and dressed in military attire, as they prepare to join a battalion named after medieval nobleman Bogdan Khmelnitsky, who is considered a national hero in Russia for his role in bringing parts of Ukraine under Moscow’s control in the 15th century. This revelation suggests that Ukrainian PoWs are being coerced into fighting for Russia.
Geneva conventions violations
The authenticity of the report and the videos remains unconfirmed, and it’s unclear whether the PoWs are acting willingly or under duress, reported the Guardian. However, experts have raised concerns that such actions, if true, would constitute a violation of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit PoWs from being exposed to combat or subjected to unhealthy or dangerous conditions, regardless of their willingness to participate.
Yulia Gorbunova, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, explained to the Guardian the challenges faced by PoWs in making voluntary decisions while in coercive custody, suggesting that true voluntariness is difficult to achieve in such circumstances.
Notably, this isn’t the first instance of Russia’s questionable practices in recruiting combatants. Russia has previously deployed inmates from its own prisons to fight in Ukraine, offering commuted sentences as an incentive for survival. Additionally, the country is using a “conscription campaign” in occupied Ukrainian regions to bolster its forces without resorting to a general mobilisation.
Also watch | Russia tops India’s oil suppliers
These Ukrainian PoWs, now deployed to fight in eastern Ukraine, do not appear to be part of a conventional Russian military unit. Instead, they are associated with irregular formations that do not adhere to the standard military force structure. This unconventional approach allows Russia to increase its combat force without facing the social implications of a general mobilisation.
The international community is closely monitoring these developments, and concerns are growing about the treatment of Ukrainian PoWs and the potential violations of international humanitarian laws.
(With inputs from agencies)
