A SQUAD of Ukrainian drone pilots have allegedly been executed in cold blood by the Russians.
Nine of the unmanned vehicle aces were shot dead after being stripped to their underwear.
The men had been surrounded by Russian forces in Kursk region, and laid down their weapons, claimed Ukraine’s 1st Separate Tank Brigade.
It is a war crime to kill prisoners – but the Russians are now allegedly killing captured soldiers “almost daily”.
Putin’s war has seen horror stories of his troops brutally killing captured or surrendered Ukrainians.
They have allegedly been shot, butchered, and even beheaded after being caught by Putin’s men.
A horrific photo – captured by a drone – shows the pile of bodies lying next to their discarded clothes.
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “Information about the possible shooting by the Russians of nine Ukrainian prisoners of war in Kursk region is again spreading in social networks.
“Such actions are a gross violation of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War.”
He sent letter to the United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross regarding another crime committed by the Russians.
He said: “These actions should not go unpunished, and the enemy should bear all responsibility.
“Russia is a terrorist country that violates all the rules and customs of war.
“The international community should not turn a blind eye to such crimes.”
The horrific aerial picture comes amid alarming analysis from independent open-source intelligence analysts that Russian killings of prisoners of war have become almost routine.
Conflict Intelligence Team founder Ruslan Leviev warned: “The situation with executions of prisoners of war is becoming almost daily.
“Previously, we could not claim that this was some kind of strategy.
“It was quite possible to say that these were isolated incidents at the level of individual groups.
“Now, materials are being collected that allow us to more convincingly prove that [executions of prisoners by Russian troops] are becoming widespread.”
Ukrainian Telegram channel Deep State said: “From our sources in the 1st Separate Tank Brigade, it became known that on October 10, the Russians shot drone fighters and associates.
“Additional details of the circumstances are being clarified, but it is known that the boys entered the position thinking that they were in the relative rear, but were already forced to come into contact with the enemy and shot back.
“However, their ammunition was limited and they were forced to surrender.”
Ukrainian forces remain inside Kursk – a border region of Russia they invaded in August.
Putin has been unable to dislodge Kyiv’s forces who have claimed 390 square miles of territory inside his borders.
The move was believed to be an effort to draw Russian forces away from other parts of the frontline.
Ukraine continues to call for help as the war grinds on since Putin first invaded in February 2022.
Russia last month suffered its deadliest of the war so far – but the frontline situation remains on a knife edge.
