The conflict in Ukraine: Allegations against Russia for murdering unarmed Ukrainian POWs
Ukraine has instigated a probe following the appearance of a video that allegedly depicts Russian forces executing two surrendered Ukrainian servicemen.
Ukrainian legal authorities claim that the video displays "a crowd in Russian attire" firing at defenseless Ukrainians from a short distance.
The attorneys argue that the murder of war captives is a severe breach of the rules and traditions of warfare.
The authenticity of the video has not been confirmed independently. There has been no response from Russia.
Ever since Russia initiated its comprehensive assault in February 2022, Kyiv and Moscow have been blaming each other for breaching the Geneva conventions. These are global humanitarian laws that govern the behaviour in armed conflicts, particularly focusing on the handling of prisoners of war.
The office of the prosecutor general of Ukraine announced on Sunday that they had initiated a pre-investigation for alleged breaches of war laws and deliberate murder.
It stated that the murder of prisoners of war is considered a serious violation of international law.
Initial information indicates that the shooting took place close to the Stepove village in the eastern Donetsk area of Ukraine, according to the office. No further information was given about who recorded the video or when it was taken.
Intense combat has occurred in this region in the past few weeks, with Russian soldiers trying to capture the neighboring town of Avdiivka, a Ukrainian fortification slightly beyond the Russian-controlled regional center of Donetsk.
On Sunday, in an independent announcement, the Ukrainian military called on the global community to "denounce the actions of Russia and hold the military leaders of the invader nation accountable".
The Russian military has not yet made a public statement regarding the accusations.
Information regarding the video
The unclear video was released by Ukraine's DeepStateUA Telegram channel on December 2.
The report stated that two Ukrainian soldiers were killed near Stepove, following the capture of Ukraine's 45th Rifle Battalion's positions by Russian forces.
DeepStateUA reported that the Ukrainian troops had to give up after depleting their ammunition.
The footage allegedly displays a Ukrainian serviceman exiting a trench to give himself up. His hands are raised above his head while individuals, who Ukraine claims are Russian troops, aim their firearms at him.
The video then shows a Ukrainian soldier lying face down on the ground, followed by another Ukrainian soldier coming out of the dugout. Neither of them seem to have weapons in the video.
Moments afterwards, the troops are witnessed unleashing bullets on the Ukrainians, resulting in their immediate deaths.
The BBC has not confirmed the genuineness of the video.
Later in the day, Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr Kolym said the Ukrainians who were shot belonged to his squad.
On Sunday, Vitaliy Barabash, the leader of Avdiivka's military administration, informed Ukraine's Freedom TV channel that the individuals responsible for the shooting were subsequently "eliminated" in a Ukrainian offensive.
Neither Mr. Kolym nor Mr. Barabash offered any proof to support their assertions.
In April, Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, urged international leaders to react when a video surfaced, seemingly depicting a Ukrainian soldier's beheading by a Russian military personnel.
At the time, Russia stated that the video was "terrible," but its genuineness needed to be verified, along with the person responsible for it.
Ukraine charged Russia in March, alleging that their military personnel murdered a defenseless Ukrainian serviceman. The fallen soldier was recorded on video puffing a cigarette and yelling "Glory to Ukraine" prior to being fatally shot.
Towards the end of the previous year, Moscow alleged that Ukrainian troops had carried out the execution of a batch of Russian capt
A video surfaced from the front lines in Eastern Ukraine, apparently showing a group of soldiers surrendering before being killed.
A representative from Ukraine alleged that Russian soldiers had faked their surrender as a strategy to assault their captors.
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