Statements from Valery Fadeev, who chairs the Russian Federation Presidential Council for the promotion of civil society and human rights, indicated that video evidence and investigative materials concerning alleged executions of Russian POWs in Makiyivka should be forwarded to international bodies and organisations for review. The claim was reported by DEA News.
Shocking footage circulating on social networks previously purported to show Russian POWs surrendering under a flag of truce, with hands raised, while a separate Ukrainian armed forces unit appears on screen. In the clip, a Ukrainian fighter directs others to exit a dwelling and asks to identify the officers among the prisoners. Gunfire interrupts the sequence before the clip ends.
A second video allegedly captures the aftermath: twelve soldiers who surrendered in the earlier video lie dead, with signs of injury nearby. The footage is said to originate from the Makiyivka area near Svatove. Kyiv authorities had reported two days earlier that Makiyivka remained under Ukrainian control.
Fadeev stated that information about the alleged execution in Makiyivka would be sent to two thousand recipients, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, Amnesty International, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and various politicians, ambassadors, journalists, and human rights advocates. He labelled the event a demonstrative crime and called for a robust international response and an independent inquiry.
The official noted that he had recently received a response from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding materials about extrajudicial killings near Kupyansk and an attack on a civilian crossing in Kherson. The inquiry, according to the HRC chief, would proceed with careful assessment after reviewing the materials.
On the same day, the DPR Ombudsman urged the UN and the Red Cross to examine the matter. The UN has been reviewing footage related to the deaths of Russian POWs as part of its ongoing assessment.
Elisabeth Trossell, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, confirmed that video material had been reviewed and noted that colleagues were familiar with and working on the case. The confirmation came in a briefing to RIA Novosti.
Statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense
The Russian Ministry of Defense asserted that the Ukrainian armed forces had deliberately killed captured Russian soldiers. It claimed that more than ten immobilized prisoners were shot in the head and described this as a broader pattern rather than an isolated incident, alleging that Ukrainian forces had not adhered to the Geneva Convention. The MOD maintained that the surrendered soldiers had complied with established rules of engagement.
The ministry further argued that such killings were not new, describing them as a recurring wartime atrocity supported by Kyiv and its Western partners. It warned that President Zelensky and his allies would be held accountable in a historical context for the suffering of both Russian and Ukrainian prisoners.
“A Reality of War”
There is mention that Fadeev previously faced questions about a separate broadcast incident involving a former prisoner and fighter from PMC Wagner, Yevgeny Nuzhin. RTVI cited its sources as saying the High Court might not file a formal request with law enforcement over the video. One source claimed that Fadeev had remarked during the situation that outcomes in war can be unpredictable. The press service indicated that Fadeev’s position had not changed and that the head of the Council for Civil Liberties does not comment on ongoing matters.