The Russian authorities most likely forced Ukrainian prisoners of war to join their so-called volunteer formations, the Institute for War Studies (ISW) reported in its latest analysis. The American think tank reminded that this means a violation of the Geneva Convention.
The think tank cited reports from Russian state media, which show that about 70 prisoners from various prisons were “recruited” to the so-called Bohdan Khmelnytsky Volunteer Battalion.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, they were to begin training before being sent to the front.
Ukrainian prisoners of war returned to the country ssu.gov.ua
Violation of the Geneva Convention
ISW recalled that forcing prisoners to fight would be a violation of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War, which stipulates that they cannot be engaged in combat operations or detained in areas where they could be exposed to fire from a combat zone. Prisoners are also not allowed to do dangerous work.
Main photo source: ssu.gov.ua