Investigation into Inscription on POW's Body
An investigation has found that the phrase 'glory to russia' and the letter Z were likely carved onto the body of Ukrainian prisoner of war Andriy Pereverziev by Russian surgeons during an operation. Pereverziev, a soldier of the 79th Separate Air Assault Brigade, was wounded in February 2024. He was subsequently captured by the 'DNR' group and taken to a medical facility in occupied Donetsk. This incident highlights severe violations of the Geneva Conventions, which strictly prohibit the humiliation and degrading treatment of prisoners of war.
The surgery on Pereverziev was performed at the 'Donetsk Clinical Territorial Medical Association' (DOKTMO), which after 2023 was renamed the 'M. I. Kalinin Republican Clinical Hospital'. Pereverziev only noticed the inscription on his abdomen several days after the operation, raising serious questions about the circumstances of his treatment. A group of Russian doctors called 'Friends of Medicine of Donbas' has been working at DOKTMO since the first weeks of the full-scale invasion, indicating their potential involvement in the incident.
Legal Consequences and International Response
Badma Bashankayev, a Moscow surgeon and deputy of the Russian State Duma, is the founder of the 'Friends of Medicine of Donbas' group and is under international sanctions. Pereverziev's operation likely took place on February 24, 2024, the same day Andriy Kryachko traveled to the occupied territory of Ukraine. It is known that DOKTMO has been under the control of the occupation administration since 2014.
In response to these events, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine has opened a criminal investigation under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This proceeding aims to clarify the circumstances of the inscription on the prisoner's body and the potential involvement of medical personnel. The investigation is ongoing, and its findings could significantly impact further actions regarding violations of international humanitarian law.
This case underscores serious violations of prisoners' rights that can occur in conflict zones. The importance of the investigation being conducted by the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine lies not only in identifying the guilty but also in ensuring adherence to international humanitarian law norms.
The results of this investigation could form the basis for increased international pressure on Russia and its medical personnel, and may influence the global discourse on the rights of prisoners of war in armed conflicts.