‘Capture the commander, kill the rest’: Evidence of Russian war crimes against surrendering Ukrainians mount

Russia-Ukraine war: A chilling radio command—“Take the commander captive and kill everyone else”—has become the latest piece of evidence in a growing dossier suggesting that Russian military commanders are systematically ordering the execution of surrendering Ukrainian soldiers, in stark violation of international humanitarian law.

Intercepted Orders and Drone Footage: A Deadly Convergence

The order, intercepted by Ukrainian intelligence and supplied to international media, is part of a series of radio transmissions between Russian forces during a brutal engagement in Ukraine’s eastern Zaporizhzhia region last November.

The radio traffic, reviewed alongside drone footage that appears to capture the execution of Ukrainian prisoners, offers a rare, synchronised glimpse into the alleged orchestration of war crimes on the battlefield.

In the grainy drone video, six Ukrainian soldiers are seen lying face down. At least two are shot point-blank, while another is marched away—presumably the “commander” referenced in the intercepted communications.

Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating the incident, with the radio intercepts forming a key part of their inquiry.

A Pattern of Brutality

While CNN, which obtained the radio files from Ukrainian officials, could not independently verify the authenticity of the transmissions or their direct link to the footage, forensic audio experts found no evidence of manipulation.

Western intelligence officials and United Nations investigators say the evidence is consistent with a broader pattern of Russian forces allegedly executing surrendering Ukrainian troops.

Morris Tidball-Binz, the UN’s special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, described such incidents as “grave breaches” of international law, suggesting they could only occur with the authorisation—or at least the tacit consent—of Russia’s highest military and political authorities.

“They would not happen with such numbers and frequency without orders – or at the very least consent – from (the) highest military commanders, which in Russia means the Presidency,” CNN quoted Tidball-Binz.

Escalating Investigations and Rising Toll

The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s office reports a sharp rise in suspected executions of prisoners of war, with 75 criminal investigations opened into the deaths of 268 Ukrainian POWs as of early May.

The numbers are stark: eight cases involving 57 soldiers in 2022, eight cases with 11 soldiers in 2023, 39 cases with 149 soldiers in 2024, and already 20 cases involving 51 soldiers this year.

Yurii Bielousov, who leads the war crimes department at the prosecutor general’s office, attributes the increase to direct instructions from Russia’s top leadership. While no written orders have surfaced, he notes, there are multiple examples of oral directives.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s public statements, such as his March declaration that Ukrainian soldiers captured in Russia’s Kursk region should be treated as terrorists, have only heightened fears.

“Everyone knows how Putin treats people who they call terrorists. So, it’s almost a synonym for us to execute,” Bielousov explained.

Psychological Warfare and the Logistics of Atrocity

Beyond the immediate horror, Ukrainian officials argue that these executions serve a dual purpose: they are not only acts of brutality but also tools of psychological warfare.

Bohdan Okhrimenko, head of Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, suggests that the Russian military may also be motivated by logistical concerns—managing prisoners complicates operations, and execution is seen as a grimly “simple solution.”

The intercepted radio transmissions are explicit. The Russian commander, whose identity remains unconfirmed, issues the kill order six times over a 30-minute period. His subordinates, struggling to locate the Ukrainian commander, repeatedly confirm the execution of the others. The drone footage, matched to the timing of the transmissions, appears to capture the moment the orders are carried out.

International Ramifications and the Path to Accountability

The mounting evidence of systematic executions complicates diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, particularly as international actors debate how to hold Russia accountable. The Russian Ministry of Defence has not responded to requests for comment, and Moscow has consistently denied its troops have committed war crimes, insisting prisoners are treated in accordance with international law.

Yet, Western intelligence officials say the intercepted orders are “authentic, credible, and consistent with previously documented brutal executions.” The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has identified the Russian “Storm unit” of the 394th Motorized Rifle Regiment as being involved, linking them to multiple atrocities in the region.

The Human Cost

For Ukrainian troops, the threat is existential. The knowledge that surrender may mean execution, not survival, has a profound psychological impact on those at the front. Ukrainian officials, for their part, have redoubled efforts to ensure Russian prisoners are treated lawfully, hoping to maintain the moral high ground and facilitate future exchanges.

As investigations continue and the international community weighs its response, the grim radio command—“Take the commander captive and kill everyone else”—stands as a stark reminder of the brutality of modern warfare and the urgent need for accountability.