Bogdan Khmelnitsky Battalion

The Bogdan Khmelnitsky Battalion (), or Bohdan Khmelnytsky Battalion is, according to Russian state media, a Russian "volunteer battalion" formed in February 2023, allegedly from Ukrainian POWs that have defected to the Russian Army. The battalion is named after Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Cossack Hetman of the Zaporozhian Host, who rebelled against the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and later accepted suzerainty of the Tsardom of Russia.

Russian media claims

The battalion, according to Russian state-controlled media, was created in February 2023 in the Russian-occupied part of Donetsk Oblast. The formation's alleged commander, Andrii Tyshchenko, told RIA Novosti that they had recruited around 70 Ukrainian POWs in February alone. RIA Novosti calls the battalion "volunteer", claiming that its members joined the formation "voluntarily, having accepted Russian citizenship if they joined the battalion".

Russian sources claimed that the Russian command would treat members of the battalion in the same way as Russian soldiers and that they would receive the same salaries and benefits.

Russian state-controlled sources claimed that in October 2023, the battalion became attached to Russian operational combat tactical formation Cascade. According to Russian press, on 28 December 2023, the battalion engaged Ukrainian forces near the village of Urozhaine.

According to the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, the Russian media reports are more likely a media operation then a real military formation. Ukraine noted that no such unit has been observed operating in combat, but the coercion of POWs into combat by Russia cannot be ruled out in the future. Ukraine characterized reports as a Russian answer to the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps, units formed in Ukraine from Russian citizens.

Use of POWs

The battalion is allegedly made up of Ukrainian PoWs who have defected to Russia. Coercion of POWs into combat would violate the Article 23 of the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War, which says that "no prisoner of war may at any time be sent to or detained in areas where he may be exposed to the fire of the combat zone."

It was reported that after taking an oath, the battalion was deployed to an unspecified part of the frontline.

Yulia Gorbunova, senior researcher on Ukraine at Human Rights Watch, said that it was "hard to imagine" that the men of the battalion were taking part of their own free will.

References

{{2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Ukrainian prisoners of war