Ukraine launches an investigation into the “execution” of two unarmed soldiers by Russian forces as Moscow launches new attacks.
Ukraine has opened an investigation into the “execution” of its unarmed soldiers by Russian forces, despite the soldiers signaling their intention to surrender.
Kiev accused Russia on Sunday of committing a “war crime” after a short video posted on Telegram on Saturday showed the two men emerging from a bunker, one with his hands over his head, before standing in front of another group on the Soldiers lay on the ground.
“The video shows a group of people in Russian uniforms shooting at close range at two unarmed soldiers in the uniform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who surrendered as prisoners,” prosecutors in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk wrote.
“Investigators and prosecutors have launched an investigation.
“The killing of prisoners of war constitutes a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and is classified as a serious international crime,” the prosecutor’s office said of the video, the authenticity of which was confirmed by the AFP news agency.
Prosecutors in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region said that, according to “preliminary information,” the images were taken near the village of Stepove near Avdiivka, an eastern city where fighting is raging.
The Ukrainian Army’s Strategic Communications Center said on Saturday it had “confirmed information” that the video showed the “execution” of “unarmed soldiers” by Russian forces.
war crimes
Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets described the incidents as “war crimes.”
“Today a video appeared online of the execution by Russian soldiers of Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered as prisoners! This is another violation of the Geneva Conventions and a disregard for international humanitarian law!” he wrote on Telegram.
Ukrainian parliament speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk also accused Russian forces of violating the rules of war, while Ukrainian army officials called on the international community to “hold Russia’s military leadership accountable.”
There was no official reaction from Moscow to the video, as Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported on Sunday that Lubinets, the human rights ombudsman and Russian human rights commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova are planning several mutual visits to prisoners of war.
“Russian military personnel are being visited on the Ukrainian side. Ukrainian military personnel are visited on the Russian side. “There will be several of these visits, we have a schedule,” RIA quoted Moskalkova as saying.
Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there have been numerous allegations of war crimes against Russian forces.
In March, another video showing a Ukrainian soldier being shot after shouting “Glory to Ukraine” was condemned.
At the time, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said his office had documented numerous violations of international humanitarian law against prisoners of war.
Bombing overnight
Meanwhile, Russia fired at least 12 drones and one cruise missile into Ukraine on Saturday evening, with air defense systems destroying 10 drones before they reached their targets, according to the Kyiv Air Force.
The cruise missile was not destroyed but did not reach its target, the Air Force said on Sunday, without giving further details.
The statement also did not clarify what happened to the two drones that were not destroyed.
“10 out of 12 is a perfect score. These are good results that we see every day,” Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ihnat told national television.
The Iranian-made Shahed drones were en route to northwestern Ukraine, the air force said. Most were shot down in the Mykolaiv region in southern Ukraine.
The Air Force report could not be independently verified and there was no immediate comment from Russia.
Regional officials confirmed the attack but said they had no information about casualties or damage.
Ukraine is preparing for new and increased waves of Russian attacks on infrastructure as winter approaches.
Last winter, about 10 months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, Moscow launched waves of attacks on power plants and other facilities connected to the energy grid, causing recurring power outages in widely separated regions.