Pivden force grouping
The Pivden force grouping is an operational formation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces created to coordinate combat actions on the southern axis of the front during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It brings together units of the Ground Forces, the Marine Corps and other branches responsible for the defence and liberation of southern territories, including parts of Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts. The grouping's commander is the public spokesperson for the situation on this axis and for verified cases of international humanitarian law violations by Russian forces.
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Russian forces executed captured Ukrainian soldiers on Hulyaipole direction, Ukraine opens war crime investigation
Russian servicemembers, believed to be from the 38th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade, executed captured Ukrainian service members on the Hulyaipole direction in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine's military reported on October 17. Spokesperson Maksym Kravchuk of the "South" force grouping said intercepts captured orders to "finish off" and "zero out" the unarmed prisoners, and Ukrainian forces also obtained drone video of the scene. Ukraine's Office of the Prosecutor General opened a pretrial investigation under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for a war crime causing death.