Ukraine Russia Conflict: Mariupol troops registered as Prisoners of War

Hundreds of Ukrainians fighters from the Mariupol steel factory have been now registered as prisoners of war, officials said.

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, personal details of hundreds of soldiers — name, date of birth, closest relative — have been recorded. They will be treated as prisoners and will be subjected to humane treatment of POWs under the Geneva Conventions.

The soldiers “must not be subjected to any form of torture or ill-treatment”, Amnesty International said.

Meanwhile, Russia on 24th February launched the war on Ukraine. And, according to the latest updates, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said the Donbas, where Russia is now concentrating its main effort, has been “completely destroyed”. Russia has said a further 771 Ukrainian troops have “surrendered” at Mariupol’s besieged Azovstal steelworks, bringing the total number to 1,730 this week, while the International Committee of the Red Cross said it had started registering the Ukrainian prisoners of war who left the plant. It is not clear how many remain at the plant. Also, Russia’s promise to use lasers to shoot down drones in Ukraine has prompted widespread scepticism that the novel and possibly nuclear-powered weaponry could be deployed on the battlefield or have any significant impact on the war.