Intercepted Russian Orders Reveal Executions of Surrendering Ukrainian Soldiers, New Evidence Shows
Kyiv, Ukraine – A disturbing combination of intercepted radio communications and drone footage appears to capture Russian commanders ordering their troops to execute surrendering Ukrainian soldiers — a potential war crime under international law.
The chilling transmissions, obtained by Ukrainian intelligence and shared with CNN, allegedly took place during a November 2024 assault in the Zaporizhzhia region. According to Ukrainian officials, the radio orders correspond to drone footage showing six Ukrainian troops lying face down, with at least two shot at point-blank range, and another led away.
The Order: ‘Take the Commander and Kill the Rest’
Intercepted radio chatter recorded around 12:05 p.m. local time captures a Russian commander repeatedly issuing a brutal order:
“Take the commander captive and kill everyone else.”
According to transcripts reviewed by CNN, the command is given at least six times. In one instance, the commander shouts:
“Take the senior, get rid of the others!”
The drone footage, timestamped from 12:27 to 12:30 p.m., appears to confirm the grisly sequence of events. A masked soldier emerges from the trees, approaches the prone Ukrainians, and shoots one in the head. Another soldier — possibly a unit commander — removes his gear and is taken away.
‘We Killed the Others’
In the radio recordings, a soldier using the callsign “Arta” is heard confirming the outcome:
“We killed the f**king others.”
The audio, reviewed by forensic expert Robert Maher of Montana State University, shows no signs of tampering and is consistent with genuine military communications.
Suspected Pattern of War Crimes
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) links the incident to the Storm unit of Russia’s 394th Motorized Rifle Regiment. This same unit is also accused of a gruesome beheading of a Ukrainian soldier in the same area.
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Ukraine’s Prosecutor General has launched 75 investigations into the suspected executions of 268 Ukrainian prisoners of war. The numbers, officials say, are rising:
- 2022: 8 cases, 57 soldiers
- 2023: 8 cases, 11 soldiers
- 2024: 39 cases, 149 soldiers
- 2025 (so far): 20 cases, 51 soldiers
Officials believe this is more than rogue behavior — it’s a systemic policy backed by top military and political leaders in Russia.
“These actions would not happen so frequently without consent from the highest command — which, in Russia, means the Presidency,” said UN special rapporteur Morris Tidball-Binz.
Political and Military Implications
The Russian Ministry of Defense has not responded to requests for comment. Previously, Moscow has denied committing war crimes, claiming to treat prisoners of war in line with international standards.
However, Ukrainian officials say the pattern suggests otherwise. The intercepted audio and matching drone footage are among the strongest evidence yet that Russian forces are executing soldiers who surrender.
“Putin called captured Ukrainians ‘terrorists.’ We all know how he treats people labeled that way,” said Yurii Bielousov, head of Ukraine’s war crimes unit.
Bohdan Okhrimenko, who works on Ukraine’s treatment of POWs, added that executing captives may be a logistical decision for Russian troops:
“Capturing and transporting prisoners is complicated. Shooting them is, sadly, simpler from their perspective.”
Mounting Global Attention
This incident marks one of the first times radio orders have been directly linked to drone-captured executions — a chilling escalation in already brutal warfare. It follows a previous CNN investigation from September detailing similar killings near Pokrovsk.
Ukraine says it’s doubling down on ensuring humane treatment of Russian POWs — partly to maintain moral high ground, and partly to secure future prisoner exchanges.
“Violence breeds violence,” said Okhrimenko. “But we won’t let ourselves fall to their level.”
Source: CNN – Exclusive: Intercepted radio chatter and drone footage appear to capture Russian orders to kill surrendering Ukrainian troops
