Ukraine’s Special Forces strike back, neutralize Russian squad behind POW executions

“Russian forces executed two TDF fighters they had taken prisoner several days ago in one of the operational areas. They believed their crime would go unpunished. Meanwhile, one of our SOF units meticulously planned an operation to eliminate the group responsible and recover the bodies of our soldiers,” the statement read.

During the special operation, Ukrainian defenders eliminated part of the execution squad. Those who survived were forced to surrender. Among them were marines from Russia’s 40th Arctic Brigade.

Under interrogation, the captured Russian troops admitted they had taken two TDF soldiers prisoner and reported it to their company commander, who then ordered their execution over the radio.

Upon hearing this, the Ukrainian POWs attempted to escape, but Russian soldiers with the call signs Yaryi, Lebid, Boom, and Bilyi opened fire.

“SOF operators eliminated three of them during the operation, while Yaryi and two others were captured and are now providing testimony,” the SOF said.

The captured Russian soldiers were contract servicemen with only 1.5 months of service in the Russian army.

Earlier, Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s parliamentary human rights commissioner, revealed in a Dec. 18 interview that in 2024, the number of confirmed executions of Ukrainian soldiers by Russian forces nearly doubled compared to the previous two years of full-scale war.

Out of 177 verified executions, 109 took place in 2024. On Jan. 6, Lubinets reported another suspected war crime by Russia—the execution of three Ukrainian POWs.