Russia Announces Deployment of Ukrainian POW Battalion to Engage in Conflict Against Homeland

Russian State Media Claims Ukrainian Prisoners of War Will Fight Against Their Own Country

According to Russian state media, a battalion of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) will soon be sent to the front lines to fight against their own country. This move, if true, could potentially violate the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War.

On November 7, Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti reported that Ukrainian POWs in the “Bogdan Khmelnitsky” battalion had sworn an oath of allegiance to Russia and would be deployed into battle. The battalion, consisting of around 70 prisoners from various penal colonies, has completed their training and is now ready for combat.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) states that these troops will be operating under the larger Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) “Kaskad” formation. This suggests that the POWs will be fighting in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, where heavy fighting has been taking place recently.

The deployment of Ukrainian POWs raises concerns about the violation of international laws concerning warfare. The Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War states that prisoners should not be sent to areas where they may be exposed to fire from the combat zone. It also prohibits the use of prisoners for labor that is unhealthy or dangerous.

It is uncertain whether the Ukrainian soldiers joined the battalion voluntarily or were coerced into doing so. Russia claims that they took an oath of allegiance, but the details surrounding their recruitment remain unclear. The language used by Russian state media, referring to the soldiers as “volunteers” or “recruits,” suggests that they may receive salaries and benefits comparable to their Russian counterparts.

In contrast, Ukraine has a battalion of Russians fighting for them, but these individuals reportedly traveled to Ukraine voluntarily to join the armed forces and fight for the country. This is a distinct difference from Russia’s recruitment efforts involving prisoners from penal colonies.

The use of Ukrainian POWs in combat against their own country is a concerning development that could have serious implications for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It remains to be seen how the international community will respond to this potential violation of the Geneva Convention.

Source: Business Insider