Captured Russian marine reveals executions of Ukrainian POWs ordered by commander

In Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian forces from the “Mahura” 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade captured a Russian soldier from the 155th Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet. This prisoner, named Yuriy Pitkevich, witnessed the execution of Ukrainian soldiers, UNIAN reports.

Russian forces have engaged in systematic torture and execution of Ukrainian soldiers during the war, constituting severe violations of international humanitarian law. In a particularly egregious incident, Russian troops executed 16 Ukrainian soldiers who had surrendered near Pokrovsk in October 2024, marking one of the largest known mass executions of Ukrainian POWs. These acts of violence are not isolated but appear to be part of a broader strategy endorsed by Russian military leadership to instill fear and suppress resistance among Ukrainian forces. The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine has initiated investigations into these war crimes.

The brigade detailed that the captured Russian confessed to seeing the killings of two Ukrainian prisoners of war near the settlement of Glushkovo at the end of September. According to him, the execution and subsequent beheading of the Ukrainian soldiers were carried out on the orders of his unit commander.

“The prisoner provided the commander’s name as well as the names of those who directly carried out this war crime,” reported the “Mahura” brigade.

It was also revealed that Pitkevich, a former convict, signed a contract with the Wagner Private Military Company in October 2022 while serving a sentence in a Russian penal colony. Later, as part of Wagner units, Pitkevich took part in assaults on the towns of Soledar and Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast. In June 2023, he participated in the “march” on Moscow under the orders of Wagner’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

In June of this year, Pitkevich signed a new contract and joined Russia’s 155th Marine Brigade. In August, when the brigade was deployed to Kursk Oblast, he took part in combat operations as a grenade launcher assistant.

According to intelligence reports, the 155th Separate Marine Brigade of the Russian Federation has suffered significant losses in Kursk Oblast, leading many soldiers to frequently abandon their positions and refuse to follow orders.

Previously, another captured Russian soldier claimed that North Korean troops opened fire on Russian forces in Kursk Oblast. He reported that his unit was based near the Russian village of Glushkovo and had no issues “until the Koreans arrived” and began shooting at the Russians. The captive explained that the Russian command did not respond to complaints. Furthermore, it is easier for them to send Russian soldiers into assaults rather than North Koreans.

Read also: