Russians execute five captured Ukrainian soldiers near Vuhledar, Donetsk Oblast

Russian forces reportedly shot dead five captured Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers near Vuhledar, Donetsk Oblast, as stated by the Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office, which has launched an investigation into the incident.

According to operational data, the event occurred on October 2 when Russian troops assaulted Ukrainian positions near Vuhledar. During the attack, they captured five unarmed Ukrainian soldiers. One of the prisoners was killed in a forested area, while the remaining four were marched to a road and executed under the threat of automatic weapons.

The prosecutor's office emphasized that the killing of prisoners of war constitutes a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and is considered a serious international crime. Authorities are undertaking urgent investigative actions to uncover all details of the incident. The pre-trial investigation is being carried out by the Main Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

North Korea received anti-aircraft missiles, oil from Russia in exchange for troops

Russia has reportedly provided North Korea with oil and anti-aircraft missiles in exchange for military support in the Ukraine war, according to a South Korean official and satellite imagery analysis. A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed that 10,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia, primarily in Kursk Oblast, where they are engaged in combat. South Korea's national security advisor Shin Won-sik stated that Moscow supplied North Korea with economic and military technology, including anti-aircraft systems, to strengthen its weak air defenses.

In addition, satellite imagery analysis by the Open Source Centre revealed that Russia has delivered over a million barrels of oil to North Korea since March, violating U.N. sanctions that cap oil transfers to Pyongyang. U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy claimed the oil was part of the payment for North Korean troops and weapons. The two countries’ growing ties were cemented by a strategic partnership agreement signed in June between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin, pledging mutual support in case of aggression.

North Korea has openly backed Russia's war efforts. During a visit to Moscow on Nov. 4, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui called the invasion of Ukraine a "sacred struggle" and reaffirmed solidarity with Russia. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s former commander-in-chief, argued that such involvement by North Korea and other Russian allies signals that the conflict has taken on a global dimension.

Number of executions of Ukrainian POWs increases every month

Ukrainian prosecutors have initiated 13 cases related to the execution of 54 Ukrainian prisoners of war in October and November, constituting a third of all such cases documented in 2024. According to Taras Semkiv, Deputy Head of the Department for Combating Crimes Committed in the Context of Armed Conflict at the Prosecutor General’s Office, there are currently 53 active investigations into the execution of 177 Ukrainian POWs, with 37 cases involving 109 individuals recorded this year alone. These ongoing investigations highlight the systemic nature of these crimes, often linked to decisions by military commanders rather than isolated actions by rank-and-file soldiers.

Semkiv emphasized that these crimes are taking place along all frontlines, with identified units implicated in the atrocities. Additionally, four criminal cases have been opened in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, where at least 20 Ukrainian soldiers were reportedly executed. However, the full extent of these crimes remains obscured, and the true number of victims may be significantly higher. Semkiv noted that the rising monthly toll underscores the brutality and deliberate targeting of Ukrainian prisoners of war.