In a startling revelation, the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti has asserted that Russia is deploying Ukrainian prisoners of war (PoWs) to the frontlines in Ukraine, forcing them to take up arms on Moscow’s behalf. Unverified footage disseminated by RIA Novosti on Tuesday purportedly shows these captives pledging allegiance to Russia, brandishing rifles, and adorned in military attire as they join a newly formed battalion named after medieval nobleman Bogdan Khmelnitsky—a historical figure celebrated in Russia for annexing parts of Ukraine in the 15th century.
The authenticity of the report and the accompanying videos remains unconfirmed by the Associated Press, raising questions about the veracity of the claims and the extent to which the PoWs may have been coerced into their actions.
Both Ukrainian military officials, human rights advocates, and the Russian defense ministry have refrained from immediate responses to requests for comments on these allegations.
International experts assert that if substantiated, such actions would constitute a blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions governing the treatment of PoWs. These conventions expressly prohibit exposing prisoners to combat situations or compelling them to work in hazardous conditions, whether coerced or not.
Yulia Gorbunova, Senior Researcher on Ukraine at Human Rights Watch, noted, “Russian authorities might claim they are recruiting them on a voluntary basis, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario where a prisoner of war’s decision could be taken truly voluntarily, given the situation of coercive custody.”
Nick Reynolds, Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute in London, emphasized the inherent challenges faced by PoWs in such circumstances, stating that they possess limited agency and are in an exceedingly difficult situation.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in Washington has previously reported instances of Ukrainian PoWs being asked to “volunteer” for battalions. Notably, these PoWs were housed in the Olenivka prison, which was destroyed in July 2022. The destruction of the prison became a point of contention, with Russia attributing it to a Ukrainian rocket strike, while Kyiv claimed Moscow orchestrated the blast to conceal alleged abuses and killings of PoWs.
Russia has a history of using inmates from its prisons to participate in military operations, offering a commuted sentence in return for their service. Additionally, there are indications of a broader effort to bolster Russian forces through a conscription campaign in occupied Ukraine.
The Ukrainian PoWs, as per RIA Novosti, will operate within another unit in eastern Ukraine, boasting around 7,000 fighters. Analysts anticipate that these PoWs might be deployed to the frontlines in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
It’s important to note that the fighters in question are not part of a conventional Russian military unit but constitute irregular formations operating outside normal force structures.
As the international community awaits official responses and verification, these allegations add a concerning layer to the ongoing complexities surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
