Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, there have been repeated allegations that hundreds of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs), who should be protected under international conventions, have been executed by Russian forces.

An official from the Ukrainian intelligence agency told AFP on July 14 (local time) that they are tracking 340 incidents in which more than 900 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the outbreak of the war.

The intelligence official added that these cases represent only 25 to 40 percent of the total.

The cases being tracked include not only those documented through official records but also those identified based on information from frontline units and intelligence sources.

The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office is currently investigating 116 cases involving the deaths of 306 soldiers.

Key subjects of the investigation include incidents where unarmed Ukrainian POWs were shot and cases of beheadings that were circulated on social media.

In a report released last month, the United Nations also stated that it had verified 129 cases of executions of Ukrainian soldiers by Russia, noting that such incidents "increased significantly" last year.

Ukrainian authorities believe that the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company that was disbanded after staging a rebellion, played a leading role in these executions, utilizing members who were former convicts of serious crimes.

However, investigating POW execution cases during wartime is difficult.

To date, only five Russian soldiers have been convicted in Ukraine for crimes related to the execution of POWs, often through trials in absentia.

Under the Geneva Conventions, soldiers are considered prisoners of war and must be protected from the moment they clearly express their intention to surrender.

Russian authorities did not respond to AFP's request for comment.

Russia has denied allegations of war crimes, including the execution of POWs and the killing of civilians.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)