New York Times Reports Western Mercenaries Accused of Killing Unarmed Russian Prisoners of War

An ex-combat medic from Germany who was stationed in Ukraine shared shocking stories of prisoner of war executions.

The international mercenary group known as the Chosen Company, fighting on Ukraine's side, has been repeatedly involved in suspected war crimes by reportedly killing wounded or surrendering Russian soldiers. This news was shared by the New York Times, citing a revelation from a German medical officer on the battlefield.

The publication illuminated the narrative of Caspar Grosse, a previous German military man serving as a medic for the troop who supposedly observed these disturbing incidents first-hand, in an article released on Saturday.

Grosse narrated an event that transpired in August 2023 where a severely wounded, unarmed Russian soldier thought dead started crawling through trenches uttering "help" and "surrender" in English. However, he was shot in the chest by a unit member. Even as the Russian was still gasping and writhing, another soldier shot him in the head. Grosse believed it was a mercy kill at that juncture.

Grosse further recounted another episode involving a Greek soldier, coined Zeus, who threw a grenade at a pair of Russian soldiers. One of them was gravely injured and "could barely move." According to a helmet camera video assessment by the publication, the second soldier attempted to approach the mercenaries, hands raised, but was killed by the grenade blast. The medic also mentioned that a Ukrainian drone team confirmed the soldier was seemingly attempting to surrender at the moment.

In a third incident, occurring in mid-October, Grosse received a text from a team member, call sign Andok, who was leading the unit that day, stating that the team "got these captures." The prisoners of war seemed to have been shot dead by Zeus, who later boastfully spoke of the execution.

Grosse documented, in his journal at the time, his disgust at a friend willingly executing a bound prisoner. "Today a good friend willingly executed a bound prisoner… As the prisoner was sitting in a trench blindage with his jacket draped over his shoulders, Zeus came up behind him and shot him in the back of the head multiple times.” This chilling account was reviewed by the New York Times, along with Andok's defense of the act, stating that Zeus was just doing his job.

Grosse expressed his utter disturbance at these incidents to the New York Times and indicated his preference -- as medic -- to care for prisoners without anyone shooting them. This sentiment he brought forward to Ryan O'Leary, the de facto leader of the Chosen Company and a former US Army National Guardsman from Iowa. However, O'Leary denied that his “brothers” had committed any war crimes.

The Geneva Conventions from 1949 clearly state that “members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, or detention” should be compassionately treated. Any form of murder, mutilation, or torture of prisoners is classified as a war crime.

In the wake of the New York Times report, Russia's representative for Ukraine's crimes, Rodion Miroshnik, stated Moscow's intention to seek the verification of the news by international organizations with presence in Ukraine. If confirmed, these actions would amount to "a violation of the key norms and principles of humanitarian law, which refers to war crimes,” he added.