Ukraine has accused Russian forces of executing hundreds of Ukrainian prisoners of war since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022, claiming that the incidents point to a deliberate pattern rather than isolated battlefield actions. The exact number of alleged executions remains unclear, with figures varying among Ukrainian and international sources, but Kyiv says the cases represent serious violations of international humanitarian law. One of the families affected is that of Lyudmyla Dubnytska, whose husband Andriy Dubnytsky was among Ukrainian soldiers killed after being captured during fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Dubnytsky, a 25-year-old soldier from Ukraine’s 110th brigade, was killed in February 2024 during the retreat from Avdiivka, a key battlefield city in the Donetsk region that was later captured by Russian forces. According to his wife, Dubnytsky and five fellow soldiers remained behind after being wounded during an attempted withdrawal. The group was reportedly waiting for evacuation despite their critical situation. On February 15, 2024, Dubnytsky called his wife and appeared distressed, telling her about the danger they faced. Lyudmyla Dubnytska, 27, said her husband was emotional during their final conversation.

She recalled that they tried to stay hopeful and even talked about having a son after they were reunited, who would become a sibling for their young daughter. Hours after that call, Dubnytsky sent her a message saying that he and his comrades would likely be captured by Russian forces. After that, he stopped responding to calls and messages, leaving his family without information about his fate. A video later circulated on Ukrainian media showing what Kyiv says was the likely sequence of events after the soldiers were captured. The footage reportedly showed fellow fighter Ivan Zhytnyk making a video call to a relative before a Russian soldier allegedly ordered him to surrender his weapon and lie down.

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Two days later, Dubnytska said she saw footage on Russian social media showing the bodies of five Ukrainian soldiers lying in a frozen area covered with blood. She identified her husband through a cross tattoo on his hand, which helped confirm his death. Ukraine has repeatedly raised allegations of executions and mistreatment of prisoners of war during the conflict, saying such incidents require international investigations. Kyiv has argued that the alleged killings demonstrate a broader policy by Russian forces, while Moscow has denied accusations of systematic abuse and has rejected claims of deliberate violations.

The issue has drawn attention from international organisations monitoring the conduct of both sides during the war. Under the Geneva Conventions, prisoners of war are protected from execution, torture and other forms of abuse after capture. As the war continues, families of missing soldiers remain caught between uncertainty and grief, waiting for confirmation about their loved ones. For relatives like Dubnytska, the search for answers has become part of a wider effort by Ukraine to document alleged wartime violations and seek accountability for those responsible.

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