A concerning development in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been reported by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. The report indicates that Russian authorities are compelling Ukrainian prisoners of war (PoWs) to fight on Moscow’s side in the war.
Video footage released by RIA Novosti depicts Ukrainian PoWs pledging allegiance to Russia, wielding rifles, and donning military attire. The individuals are shown preparing to join a battalion named after medieval nobleman Bogdan Khmelnitsky, recognized as a national hero in Russia for his role in bringing parts of Ukraine under Moscow’s control in the 15th century. This suggests that Ukrainian PoWs may be coerced into combat on behalf of Russia.
The authenticity of the report and videos remains unconfirmed, leaving uncertainty about whether the PoWs are participating willingly or under duress, according to The Guardian. Experts express concern that if true, such actions would violate the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit exposing PoWs to combat or subjecting them to unhealthy or dangerous conditions, irrespective of their willingness.
Yulia Gorbunova, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, highlighted the challenges faced by PoWs in making voluntary decisions while in coercive custody, emphasizing the difficulty of achieving true voluntariness in such circumstances.
This is not the first instance of Russia’s questionable recruitment practices. The country has previously deployed inmates from its prisons to fight in Ukraine, offering commuted sentences as an incentive for survival. Additionally, Russia is conducting a “conscription campaign” in occupied Ukrainian regions to bolster its forces without resorting to a general mobilization.
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