Russian Tried for Killing Ukrainian POWs in Kursk

A Russian soldier has gone on trial at the Shevchenkivskyi district court in Kyiv accused of executing two Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025. 

Vladimir Ivanov, of the 40th Separate Marine Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces, was charged under Articles 28, Part 1 and 438, Part 2 of the criminal code of Ukraine concerning a war crime involving premeditated murder committed by a group of individuals. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment.

According to prosecutor Mykhailo Nechytaliuk, Ivanov, who used the call sign Yaryi, and three other Russian servicemen - call signs Belyi, Bum and Lebed - followed an order from an unidentified commander known as Riazan.

They used Kalashnikov assault rifles to shoot two captured Ukrainian soldiers from the 241st Separate Territorial Defence Brigade. The incident occurred between 8 and 9 am on January 9 in a forest southeast of the village of Guyevo, in the Sudzhansky district of Russia’s Kursk region. 

“In doing so, they murdered combatants who had laid down their arms and unconditionally surrendered,” the prosecutor stated at an August 29 hearing. “Therefore, Vladimir Ivanov is charged with committing a war crime – namely, a violation of the laws and customs of war as established by international treaties ratified by the Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine’s parliament], resulting in death and committed by a group of individuals.”

Ukraine launched an incursion into the Russian region of Kurk in August 2024, although a retreat was under way by March 2025. 

Ivanov, 53, is a native of Sevastopol who resided in Ozyorsk, in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region. He told the court that he had been drafted into the Russian army in December 2023 and enlisted as a contract soldier. After two weeks of training in Sevastopol, his unit was deployed to the Kursk region.

Addressing the court through an interpreter, Ivanov stated that he admitted his guilt and expressed remorse. He added that he did contest the charges and had agreed to testify. In light of his statement, the court considered whether it was necessary to examine the full scope of the evidence. The prosecutor proposed limiting the proceedings to a review of the written evidence and the questioning of the defendant. Ivanov’s defence attorney, Roman Bratsylo from the Free Secondary Legal Aid Centre, informed the court that his client had previously held a different position.

“Your Honour, during the pre-trial investigation, our position was to deny these allegations,” Bratsylo said. “Before today’s hearing, I spoke with my client and his position has changed to a full admission of guilt. Therefore, given the severity of the offence and the potential sentence, I agree with the prosecutor and I propose that we examine the written evidence and question my client, but I will not insist on questioning witnesses or reviewing video recordings.”

Ivanov agreed with his attorney and the court proceeded to question the defendant, who testified that after training in Sevastopol, he was sent to the Kursk region in late December 2024. There, he underwent several more days of military training. In the New Year, Ivanov and his company were sent to establish a position near the village of Guyevo in the Sudzhansky district.

The accused stated that his task was to fortify a position and dig a dugout. On the morning of January 9, he heard shouting. The Russian soldier from his company with the call sign Lebed was exchanging shouts with Ukrainian servicemen. He then heard gunshots and when he ran to the scene, he joined in, firing three shots from a Kalashnikov rifle at the Ukrainian soldiers. 

“The shooting had already started when I got there. I joined in,” Ivanov said.

He said the Ukrainian soldiers offered no resistance, but acknowledged that he could not make out details of their appearance or behaviour. According to Ivanov, the Russian soldiers were about a hundred metres away, though he could see the Ukrainians were wearing pixelated camouflage. 

After the shots were fired, the Ukrainians fell. Ivanov and his fellow soldiers did not approach them to confirm if they were dead. He also said that he did not personally hear an order to open fire. Ivanov maintained that it was only after the incident that another soldier, Lebed, told him their company commander Riazan had ordered that the Ukrainians be eliminated.

When his attorney asked why he fired without an order, Ivanov replied, “I have no answer.”

“And why did you stop shooting?” the attorney asked.

“Because they fell,” Ivanov responded. 

Later that same day, Ivanov was captured by the Ukrainian armed forces near the site of the shooting.

According to the judge, Pavlo Slobodianiuk, the court will review additional written evidence from the prosecution due to inconsistencies with the charges against Ivanov. The court will also determine whether it is necessary to summon witnesses and victims for questioning.

The three victims in the case – relatives of the deceased – were not present at the hearing. At the start of the session, the prosecutor submitted their statements requesting the case be heard in their absence. Judge Slobodianiuk added that one of the victims has also filed a civil claim seeking 100 million hryvnias (2.4 million US dollars) in moral damages from both the Russian Federation and the accused.

There have been numerous reports that Ukrainian POWs have been executed in the Kursk region, including media claims that nine were killed in October 2024.

In May 2025, the Security Service of Ukraine announced it had notified a Russian soldier of suspicion in the execution of two Ukrainian prisoners of war, the soldier, along with other Russian servicemen, is accused of shooting the two captured Ukrainian troops during fighting in the Kursk direction on January 9. The suspect was later captured by the Defence Forces of Ukraine.

Article 3 of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War stipulates that members of the armed forces who have surrendered must not be subjected to: violence to life and person, including murder, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture; outrages upon personal dignity, such as humiliating and degrading treatment, carrying out sentences or punishment without a prior court judgment.

In a December 2024 interview with Ukrainska Pravda, the Ukrainian Parliament Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets stated that 177 executions of POWs by Russian troops had so far been confirmed.