Photo: 3rd Brigade Combat Team
Soldiers of Ukraine’s Third Separate Assault Brigade successfully conducted assault operations in Kharkiv Region. This lead to the rescue of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs).
The Kreminna tactical group first reported the operation, later confirmed by the 3rd Brigade.
Four Ukrainian servicemen, including a captain, sergeant, and soldiers from attached forces, were ambushed by a Russian sabotage group of 10. They were captured while moving between positions near the contact line. The surprise attack prevented effective resistance, leading to the capture of the Ukrainians. They were taken toward Russian-held positions under the cover of a forest belt.
«The prisoners reported that the enemy command had ordered their captors to kill them, but the Russians who captured them refused to do so for some reason», — explained «Mosya,» the commander of the 1st Company of the 2nd Assault Battalion of the 3rd Brigade.
Through drone surveillance, a 3rd Brigade soldier noticed the movement of the captured Ukrainians toward Russian positions. Upon confirming their identities, the battalion commander ordered a rapid response team to intercept the Russian group and rescue the prisoners.
Assault troops in armored vehicles quickly caught up with the enemy group. In the ensuing clash, the Russians abandoned the captured Ukrainians. The Ukrainian forces destroyed the enemy subversive group, retaking the previously occupied positions. The rescued Ukrainians made it back to their own positions within 24 hours and are now safe and receiving medical care.
«Those captured soldiers had access to critical information, especially the officer, a platoon commander who knew more than an ordinary infantryman. We had to act swiftly to ensure this information did not fall into enemy hands», — Mosya added.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, has reported another alleged war crime by Russian forces. According to Lubinets, the occupiers likely shot unarmed Ukrainian soldiers in the town of New York, Donetsk Region.
«Recently, videos have surfaced on social media depicting the alleged executions of Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered. Today, another video appeared showing what seems to be the shooting of unarmed Ukrainian soldiers in Donetsk region», — Lubinets stated.
The Ombudsman has called on the international community to document these violations of the Geneva Convention, which governs the treatment of POWs, as well as broader international humanitarian law. Letters regarding the case in New York will be sent to the United Nations (UN) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).