Kyiv's human rights ombudsman has written to the UN, after reports that Russia executed Ukrainian PoWs.

Russian soldiers executed nine Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Kursk region, located in western Russia, reports the Ukrainian Pravda portal, citing Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and a group of military analysts.

The Russian Army has initiated a powerful counteroffensive in the Kursk region, an area previously occupied by Ukrainian forces since early August. Reports from both sides confirm that Russian troops have made gains,