Conflicts

In early October, Russian soldiers executed nine Ukrainian prisoners of war who had surrendered to them during Kiev's incursion into Russia's Kursk region, now in its third month.

Among the victims of these massacres are Ukrainian soldiers who have surrendered, and civilians trying to make a living in dangerous areas.

Reports of widespread killings by Russian soldiers first surfaced in the spring of 2022.

This latest wave of violence, however, may prove to be even more widespread. Participants in the so-called “special military operation”, particularly former prisoners of the disbanded Wagner Group and Storm Z units, continue to commit heinous crimes on the home front, after their return to Russia.

According to The Insider, these Russian actions against civilians have taken on the appearance of what the inhabitants of the Ukrainian-controlled parts of the Kherson region have called a “human safari”.

This nickname, which refers to Russia's deliberate targeting of civilians in the region - including drivers, cyclists and pedestrians was described by local residents in early October. The report quotes one of the residents as saying that Russian drone operators use “any moving target for training”.

(MH with AmBar/Source: The Insider/Photo: DPA/Anadolu/Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration /Handout)