Execution of a prisoner by Russians: Ukraine’s and the world’s reaction and why Russia needs it
On the evening of April 11, a video of the execution of an alleged Ukrainian soldier began to circulate online. Read more about the details and the reaction of Ukraine and the international community in the Fakty ICTV article.
What happened
In the video of the execution of an alleged Ukrainian soldier, which lasts a minute and a half, you can see people in military uniforms with white ribbons (a sign used by the occupiers to identify their troops in our country) beheading a living person. At the same time, the man is wearing a uniform with Ukrainian insignia.
The faces of the people in the video are covered by masks. A Russian soldier, who is negotiating on a radio, instructs another to cut off the man’s head “more actively,” adding: “Haven’t you ever cut off a head before?”
The recording shows two people showing the camera a bulletproof vest with Ukrainian insignia. A yellow ribbon is visible on the uniform of the person being executed (this is the one used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces).
The video shows bright green grass and leaves. This may indicate that the video was recorded some time ago.
At the moment, Fakty ICTV cannot confirm the authenticity of the video and does not publish links to it.
Ukraine’s response
In a video address on April 12, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the video of the execution of a Ukrainian prisoner of war should be seen by the world because it shows Russia for what it is.
– There is something that no one in the world can ignore – how easily these animals kill. This is not an accident, this is not an episode. This has happened before. It happened in Bucha thousands of times. We are not going to forget or forgive the killers. There will be legal responsibility for everything. We need to defeat terror. No one will understand if the leaders do not react. We must act now,” the Head of State emphasized.
He added that the footage that shocked the world is evidence that Russia is trying to make the habit of destroying lives a new normal.
The head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, wrote on his social media that Russia’s presidency of the UN Security Council is “absurd” and called for its expulsion.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that a new video showing the brutal execution of a Ukrainian prisoner emphasizes the need to expel Russia from the UN Security Council and the organization as a whole.
– “It is absurd that Russia, which acts worse than ISIS, presides over the UN Security Council. Russian terrorists must be expelled from Ukraine and the UN and brought to justice for their crimes,” he emphasized.
Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, said on the air of the United News that the world has seen another execution of Ukrainian military by the Russian occupiers and should react to this not only by expressing outrage.
– This is a fact that the world should pay attention to not only with, let’s say, sympathy or outrage, but with joint work to bring all those responsible to justice,” he emphasized.
He added that not only the perpetrators are to blame for this situation. “Because the publication of this video is evidence that such a genocidal policy, such a policy of war crimes is the state policy of Russia, because propaganda in Russia is centralized.
Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Hanna Malyar wrote that the Russian military will be held accountable for their crime.
– From the first moments of the video of the execution of a Ukrainian soldier by Russian inhumans, all competent Ukrainian services have been carefully studying it frame by frame to identify the war criminals. Tonight, together with other law enforcement agencies and special services, we were doing just that,” she said.
In addition, Malyar called to stop the dissemination of the video of the execution, as well as any similar video footage.
– “We are doing everything to identify the deceased. It is important for all of us to understand that identifying a person from a video, and especially a person in such circumstances, is an extremely difficult task. Therefore, we ask you to refrain from publicly voicing any versions until the official conclusions are made. Please be respectful of the victim’s family and do not make any public assumptions about the victim’s identity, even if you are absolutely sure that you have identified him.
It is worth noting that the SBU has launched a pre-trial investigation into a war crime under Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
– We will find these inhumans. If necessary, we will get them wherever they are: from underground or from the afterlife. But they will definitely be punished for their actions,” emphasized SBU Head Vasyl Malyuk.
Ombudsman’s response
Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets stated that he had sent letters of appeal to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, the UN Secretary-General, and the International Committee of the Red Cross to do everything possible to ensure that this case is separately recorded in all reports of international organizations.
In addition, he demands that the unworthy behavior towards a prisoner of war be separately considered by the UN Human Rights Committee.
Why does Russia need it?
The Ombudsman explained why Russia would publish the execution of a military man. He noted that this is content for a domestic audience to strengthen anti-Ukrainian narratives in society.
– “Baptism in blood”. Russian commanders probably give orders to their subordinates to perform such actions and film everything,” Lubinets said.
“In addition, this is an element of intimidation of their military, first of all, so that they do not surrender to Ukrainian captivity and think that they will be treated the same way. In addition, it is like compromising evidence that there is no turning back and that this war of aggression will have to be waged to the end.
For his part, Yusov noted that Russia’s goal is to demoralize and sow panic in the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
– The purpose of this policy, in particular, is an attempt to demoralize and sow panic in the Ukrainian Defense Forces, which they are failing at. Also, the purpose of such public atrocities is, in particular, to intimidate their soldiers. They say that you shouldn’t even think about surrendering, because in Ukrainian captivity they will do to you what we do to Ukrainian prisoners,” Yusov said.
Reaction of the international community
Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said that after such facts, it is impossible to talk about any kind of dialogue with Russia or the presence of Russian athletes at the Olympic Games.
– And we are still talking about some kind of need for dialogue and joint competitions at the Olympic Games? What can we even talk about? Estonia stands by Ukraine and will continue to support Ukraine. Until it wins,” he wrote.
CNN also responded to the blatant case of the execution of a military man and said that this video was not the only one.
The publication points out that last week two videos appeared on social media, which allegedly show the beheading of Ukrainian soldiers. One of them may have been filmed recently, and the other – judging by the amount of leaves on the ground – looks like it was filmed in the summer.
It is noted that the video was published in a pro-Russian group on April 8. It was allegedly filmed by Wagner PMC mercenaries near Bakhmut, where fierce fighting has been going on for months. The journalists were unable to confirm where the footage was shot.
Photo: Gur