Russia sends Ukrainian prisoners to the front - shocking details

Russia is forming a 'Ukrainian volunteer brigade' with the participation of prisoners of war, which, according to ISW, violates the Geneva Convention. Analysts note that such cases have been recorded since November 2022. If the facts are confirmed, this could be a war crime.

Russia is forming a new 'Ukrainian volunteer special purpose brigade', which, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), includes Ukrainian prisoners of war. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the creation of the brigade, claiming that it includes prisoners and former Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen who allegedly voluntarily sided with Russia. ISW analysts report that the brigade unites several irregular units, including the Kryvonos and Berest battalions, as well as the Matrosov, Pushkar, and Slobodsky detachments. A Russian military blogger openly spoke about the presence of prisoners in the brigade. ISW emphasizes that the use of prisoners in combat is prohibited by the Geneva Convention. Such cases have been recorded since November 2022; in December 2023, the Bohdan Khmelnytsky battalion operated as part of the 'Kaskad' unit, linked to the DPR Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the western part of Donetsk Oblast. If the facts are confirmed, this would be a gross violation of international humanitarian law and a possible war crime.