Executions of Ukrainian POWs and Drone Strikes

Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets has accused Russian forces of executing Ukrainian prisoners of war in a brutal violation of international law. In a post on Telegram, Lubinets revealed that a video showed five Ukrainian prisoners being shot after their capture by Russian troops.

"Russian war criminals who shoot Ukrainian prisoners of war must be brought before an international tribunal and receive the harshest punishment that the law provides for," Lubinets stated.

Killing prisoners of war constitutes a war crime, and numerous allegations have been made against Russian forces since the start of the conflict. Lubinets reported that, as of mid-December, there have been 177 confirmed cases of such executions, with 109 occurring this year alone. The ombudsman emphasized that the number is rising rapidly.

In a related development, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stern warning to Kiev following a drone attack on the Russian city of Kazan on Saturday. "Whoever tries to destroy something here will be faced with a multiple of the destruction on their territory and will come to regret what they have attempted in our country," Putin said during a televised video conference.

The attack involved six Ukrainian drones hitting residential buildings in Kazan and a seventh striking an industrial facility. While no injuries were officially reported, media outlets indicated that three people sustained cuts from shattered glass. Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the strike, but it is widely seen as retaliation for a recent Russian missile attack on Kiev. Kazan, located more than 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, is a significant distance from the frontlines.

Separately, a fuel depot in the Oryol region of western Russia caught fire following a Ukrainian drone strike, according to regional governor Andrey Klychkov. "Thanks to quick reactions, it was luckily possible to prevent further consequences of the attack—the fire was quickly localized and has now been fully extinguished," Klychkov posted on Telegram, confirming no casualties or significant damage.

Klychkov also reported that Russian air defenses intercepted around 20 drones, primarily targeting fuel and energy infrastructure. The Russian Ministry of Defence stated that a total of 42 drones were downed across the Oryol, Rostov, Bryansk, Kursk, and Krasnodar regions. However, this information has not been independently verified.

The fuel depot near the village of Stalnoi Kon, which serves the Russian military and the Druzhba oil pipeline to Europe, had been attacked a week earlier. Ukraine's military justified the strike, stating that the reservoirs supply Russian forces.