Russia accused of killing unarmed and surrendering Ukrainian POWs
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Ukraine has accused Russia of committing a conflict crime by executing two unarmed Ukrainian troopers who had already surrendered, and stated an investigation has been launched into the killings.
The Ukrainian prosecutor normal’s workplace stated it had launched a probe right into a video purporting to point out the incident, saying it befell close to an remark submit outdoors Stepove village in Donetsk.
The video exhibits a Ukrainian soldier crawling out of a foxhole as six Russian troopers watch for him outdoors. He is seen holding his fingers up after which mendacity on the bottom. Within seconds, one other Ukrainian soldier stumbles out of the dugout and lies down. The Russian troopers then fireplace upon the 2 unarmed Ukrainians.
“The video shows a group of people in Russian uniforms shooting, at point-blank range, two unarmed servicemen in the uniform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who were surrendering,” the Ukrainian prosecutor normal’s workplace stated.
“The killing of prisoners of war is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and is classified as a serious international crime,” it stated.
The Independent was not capable of confirm the authenticity of the video.
The Ukraine prosecutor normal introduced the investigation on Sunday, a day after the video of the killing was shared by the Ukrainian authorities on its social media channels.
Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets had first commented on the incident on his official Telegram channel, stating that the “execution of those who surrender is a war crime”.
“Today, a video of the execution by Russian servicemen of Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered as prisoners appeared online. This is another violation of the Geneva Conventions and disrespect for international humanitarian law,” he wrote on Saturday.
He added: “I believe that our law enforcement and intelligence agencies will be able to identify the Russian servicemen who committed this crime”.
While Russia denies committing conflict crimes throughout its 21-month-old invasion of Ukraine, officers in Kyiv and worldwide human rights organisations have repeatedly raised incidents involving violations of the principles of conflict by Russian troops.
Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Tavria army command, informed the Ukrainska Pravda information web site that the video was “glaring confirmation” that Russia violates the principles of warfare each day.
In an identical incident earlier this yr, a captive Ukrainian sniper grew to become an emblem of Ukrainian resistance after he was shot useless in a video.
The sniper defiantly cried out “Glory to Ukraine” earlier than he was killed within the video which surfaced in March.
In September, a panel of impartial UN-backed human rights consultants stated they have been documenting the mounting proof of conflict crimes dedicated by Russian forces of their conflict in opposition to Ukraine, together with torture – a few of it with such “brutality” that it led to demise – and rape of ladies aged as much as 83 years previous.
The fee, in its report, stated Russian troopers in Ukraine’s southern Kherson area “raped and committed sexual violence against women of ages ranging from 19 to 83 years,” and infrequently “family members were kept in an adjacent room hence being forced to hear the violations taking place”.
Russian officers haven’t acknowledged the skilled fee’s report.
Source: independent.co.uk
