Ukrainian special forces target Russian soldiers behind POW executions — several reportedly killed, captured

Ukrainian special forces target Russian soldiers behind POW executions — several reportedly killed, captured
THE KYIV INDEPENDENT | Published January 18, 2025

Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces reported on Jan. 17 that they had located and targeted Russian soldiers responsible for executing two Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs).

According to the unit, several were killed, and three were captured. The detainees are reportedly providing testimony.

The targeted Russian soldiers had allegedly taken two Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces fighters captive days earlier, later executing them on the orders of their company commander, the Special Operations Forces said.

The unit conducted an operation to eliminate the group, recover the bodies of the Ukrainian soldiers, and capture any surviving members.

The captured Russians were identified as marines from the 40th Arctic Brigade. During interrogations, they allegedly admitted to taking the Ukrainian POWs and executing them under orders.

Ukrainian forces reportedly killed three members of the firing squad during the operation, while three others, including one identified by the call sign “Yaryy,” were captured.

The Kyiv Independent cannot verify the claims.

Throughout the full-scale war, Ukraine has documented widespread violations of the Geneva Conventions by Russian forces, including the execution of at least 124 Ukrainian POWs, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Reports of torture, murder, and abuse of Ukrainian captives — particularly in Donetsk Oblast — have surged in recent months.

Visual evidence of these atrocities continues to emerge, underscoring Russia’s disregard for international law.

 

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SOURCE: www.kyivindependent.com

RELATED: Ukraine’s escalating air attacks bring Putin’s invasion home to Russia

Smoke and flames rise from a fire after an explosion near an industrial site in Kazan, Russia, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video released on January 14, 2025. Social Media/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
ATLANTIC COUNCIL | Published January 18, 2025

Ukraine launched what officials termed as the country’s “most massive” air attack of the war this week as Kyiv seeks to bring Putin’s invasion home to Russia. In the early hours of January 14, Ukrainian drones and missiles struck a series of strategic targets in multiple Russian regions including Bryansk, Saratov, Tula, and Tatarstan. The strikes at distances of up to 1000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border underscored Ukraine’s growing capacity to conduct long-range bombardments against high-value Russian targets.

This week’s attack was notable both for its scale and sophistication, with drones and missiles deployed in coordinated airstrikes that exploited the weaknesses of Russia’s air defenses. Representatives of Ukraine’s 14th Separate Regiment of Unmanned Aerial Systems confirmed that decoy drones were used to distract and overwhelm Russian air defenses, creating openings for missiles to hit primary targets. Once defenses were compromised, some targets were then struck by additional waves of long-range drones.

While Russian officials remain tight-lipped over the scale of the damage inflicted, media reports and open source data indicate that a range of military and industrial objects were hit. Targets included oil refineries and storage facilities, an airbase used for attacks against Ukraine, and various industrial plants involved in the production of materials critical for the Russian war effort.

These simultaneous strikes against multiple high-priority targets deep inside Russia highlight Ukraine’s ability to conduct increasingly complex long-range air operations. The attacks of January 14 required close coordination between Ukrainian drone and missile crews along with military intelligence and special operations units.

 

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SOURCE: www.atlanticcouncil.org

 

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