According to Kyiv, Russian soldiers executed a Ukrainian prisoner of war with a medieval-style sword as retaliation for an incursion into Kursk. Disturbing images have surfaced, showing an unarmed Ukrainian soldier lying in a pool of blood after being stabbed with the weapon by his captors.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian parliament’s commissioner for human rights, condemned the act, stating that the level of brutality and bloodthirstiness is “impossible to comprehend.” The execution highlights the extreme violence and escalating tensions in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The sword, visible in the gruesome images, is embedded in the torso of the Ukrainian fighter, whose hands are bound with tape. His body appears to have been left on display as a chilling warning. The weapon bears the inscription “For Kursk,” referring to Ukraine’s recent surprise incursion into the Russian border region, which has reportedly embarrassed Vladimir Putin. This act underscores the intense and brutal nature of the ongoing conflict.
Lubinets has reported the alleged war crime to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. He condemned the execution as a gross violation of the Geneva Convention, emphasizing that such actions are meant to demoralize Ukrainian society.
The gruesome killing reportedly took place in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region, near Novogrodivka. The sword used appears to be ceremonial or decorative, and the execution was described as particularly cynical. Ukrainian reports suggest the victim was still alive when the sword was driven into him, and the visible tape on his wrists highlights the brutality of the act.
Some Russian channels have disturbingly endorsed the violence, with Spetskurs, a pro-war activist, calling it “well deserved.”
Rosich, a hardline group based in St. Petersburg, has endorsed the brutality, stating: “Whoever comes to us with a sword will perish by the sword.” The use of such a medieval-style weapon is a stark example of the barbarity reported in the ongoing conflict.
The incident is part of a disturbing trend, with previous reports including a Russian fighter boasting about “blowing the heads off” Ukrainian servicemen. A grim video, reportedly from a Russian border point in Belgorod, showed a soldier with a severed head impaled on a pole. This footage was also reported to the UN by Ukrainian authorities as a war crime.
The conflict has seen escalating brutality, with reports of severe violence against prisoners of war. In August, a suspected Ukrainian POW was found dismembered, and there have been videos depicting the execution of bound and unarmed prisoners. Earlier, in June, the severed head of a Ukrainian defender was reportedly placed on a damaged armored vehicle by Russian forces.
Ukraine’s surprise offensive in the Kursk region, beginning on August 6, resulted in the capture of around 100 Russian settlements and approximately 1,300 sq km of territory by the end of the month. This marked the first time since World War II that a foreign army had seized control of Russian land, leading to significant embarrassment for the Kremlin.
Recently, reports confirm that Ukrainian troops have started losing some of the ground they initially gained, as Moscow has launched a major counter-offensive to regain control.