Execution of Ukrainian soldier: violation of international humanitarian law
The International Human Rights Agency WEST SUPPORT strongly condemns the heinous crime committed against Oleksandr Matsievskyi, a soldier of the 119th separate brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Shadura was executed after shouting the phrase "Glory to Ukraine" - a phrase that has become a symbol of Ukraine's struggle for independence and freedom.
This incident, captured on video, is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention. It is unacceptable that a prisoner of war, who was in the custody of the opposing forces, was executed in cold blood. Such actions are not only illegal but also immoral and go against the basic principles of humanity.
WEST SUPPORT would like to emphasize that this crime is not an isolated case. For a year, our organization has been working in Ukraine to document war crimes. During our work, we have repeatedly recorded executions of prisoners of war, murders, rapes, and torture of civilians. The situation in Ukraine is dire, and the international community needs to take immediate action to address the ongoing violations of international humanitarian law.
It is essential that all parties to the conflict in Ukraine respect the basic human rights of individuals and adhere to the principles of the Geneva Convention. The execution of prisoners of war and other war crimes cannot be justified under any circumstances.
WEST SUPPORT calls on the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Courtt, Karim Khan and the international community to take immediate action to investigate this incident and bring the perpetrators to justice. It is imperative that those responsible for this crime be held accountable for their actions.
The International Human Rights Agency WEST SUPPORT strongly condemns all war crimes, including the recent execution of Tymofiy Shadura in Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. This incident is a clear violation of international humanitarian law and cannot be tolerated. We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and call on the international community to take immediate action to stop the ongoing violations of human rights.
Related Reporting
A Half-Year of Atrocities: The Human Rights Landscape in 2026
LONDON — The year 2026 arrived with no shortage of warnings. Human rights monitors had spent the final months of 2025 documenting what they called an "accelerating crisis of impunity" — a pattern in which mass atrocities, once treated as exceptional, were becoming normalized features of gl
The Second Tape Drop: When Corruption Touches Defense, Impunity Is No Longer an Option
KYIV — The first batch of recordings was embarrassing. The second is devastating.In late April and early May, Ukrainian journalists and anti-corruption activists released a torrent of audio files — hundreds of hours of conversations involving Timur Mindich, the businessman already at the center of t
The First Tape Drop: How the 'Mindich Tapes' Exposed a Hand-Managed Parliament and Cabinet
KYIV — They arrived without warning, as these things now do: audio files, compressed and anonymized, uploaded to a Telegram channel with a modest following and a reputation for publishing what Ukraine's mainstream outlets would not touch. The voices were clear enough. One belonged to Timur Mindich,