PGO sends message to ICC on facts of treacherous murder of Ukrainian military during Ilovaisk tragedy, defense of Donetsk airport
Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Gunduz Mamedov signed and sent to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) an information message on violations of international humanitarian law by representatives of Russia and illegal armed groups controlled by them in Donetsk region in 2014-2015.
According to the PGO website, the prosecutors of the Department for Crimes Committed during Armed Conflict have collected facts and evidence confirming the treacherous murder and injury of the Ukrainian military during the events in Ilovaisk on August 29, 2014 and during the defense of Donetsk airport on January 19 to January 21, 2015. The information message was prepared on the basis of materials from criminal proceedings, photos and videos from open sources, as well as collected material evidence.
"The treacherous killings and injuries of the servicemen of the Armed Forces and other military formations of Ukraine took place amid humanitarian agreements. When providing a 'green corridor' in Ilovaisk area to escape the encirclement of Ukrainian servicemen who had laid down their arms, intensive shelling was carried out at them, as well as at the car with the 'Red Cross' symbol. This led to the death of 366 Ukrainian soldiers, some 429 were wounded of varying severity, some 300 were taken prisoner and 24 were missing," the PGO said in the message.
"During the defense of Donetsk airport, representatives of the occupation administration of Russia in Donetsk region [...] requested a 'silence' regime to evacuate the bodies of the dead and wounded from the battlefield. However, the truce was used to secretly mine the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and, after its completion, a treacherous explosion. Then 25 servicemen were killed, some 22 captured, one prisoner was killed," the PGO said.
According to the statement, treacherous killing in an armed conflict is a war crime and violates Article 37 of the Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, which prohibits "killing, wounding or capturing the enemy, resorting to treachery."
