Audio recordings reportedly featuring Russian commanders directing the execution of captured Ukrainian soldiers have been disclosed by CNN. These conversations, obtained from a Ukrainian intelligence source, appear to align with drone footage from the Zaporizhia region of eastern Ukraine, where individuals can be seen executed at close range.
The footage, recorded in November 2024, depicts six Ukrainian soldiers lying on the ground, with at least two being executed in cold blood, while another soldier is taken away by a Russian trooper. Ukrainian authorities are currently investigating the incident, and the war prosecutor’s office is evaluating the footage.
In the audio clips, a Russian commander repeats the command at least six times within minutes: “Arrest the commander, kill the others.” The orders are addressed to soldiers identified by the codenames “Arta” and “Beliy.” One soldier responds: “We didn’t find a commander, only a superior.”
The final directive signals the execution. Drone footage reveals a soldier in Russian military attire emerging from the underbrush to shoot a Ukrainian soldier in the head. The commander confirms via radio: “Did you take them out? We took out the f—ing others.” Shortly thereafter, a prisoner is led away, and the commander orders a retreat due to a threat from a Ukrainian drone.
International Condemnation and War Crimes Investigations
The UN, represented by its Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, Morris Tindall-Binz, denounced the incident as a “serious violation of international law”, asserting that such actions could not take place “without orders or approval from the highest military leadership, namely the Kremlin.”
The Ukrainian prosecutor’s office has initiated 75 criminal cases regarding 268 documented executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war. Reports indicate a significant increase in such incidents: from 8 cases with 57 victims in 2022 to 20 cases with 51 deaths recorded in the first quarter of 2025 alone.
Yuri Bialusov, head of the war crimes department at the prosecutor’s office, stated: “We have documented orders from political and military leaders of Russia. While we lack written documents, there are multiple testimonies of verbal orders for executions.”
“They Just Kill Them, They Don’t Want Prisoners”
Bohdan Uhirmenko, head of the Ukrainian office focused on prisoner treatment, believes that Russian commanders are ordering executions to avoid the complications associated with managing prisoners: “Prisoner management creates problems. The straightforward resolution is: we execute them.”
He pointed out that similar acts, including beheadings and mutilations of Ukrainian soldiers, have been publicized by Russian troops for psychological warfare. “Violence begets violence,” he said, noting that Ukraine has intensified training for its personnel on humane treatment of Russian captives.
Previous Crimes
The November incident appears to be part of a broader pattern. The same unit of Russian forces, the Storm of the 394th Mechanized Regiment, has been implicated in other horrific acts, including the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier in the same area. Commanders of this unit have already been charged in absentia by Ukrainian authorities.
Western intelligence officials have verified the authenticity of the audio recordings, noting their consistency with past incidents. A Western analyst told CNN: “It is clear that the soldier is receiving orders to execute Ukrainians who have surrendered.”
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