Ukrainian President Zelensky accuses Russia of ‘brutally killing’ a prisoner of war
Ukraine on Tuesday revealed the identity of a soldier detained by the Russians who was shot dead in a viral video circulating on social media. Shocked authorities and netizens have accused Russian forces of being behind the video, which shows a man in Ukrainian military uniform standing in a trench, smoking. We hear a voice in the background say “film it”. Then the alleged POW says “glory to Ukraine”, shots are fired and he falls.
Although there is no information on the origin of the video, which appeared on Monday, nor on the date and place where it was filmed, Ukrainian journalists quickly found an alleged sister of the deceased man, without reveal his identity. The army then revealed the information. The soldier disappeared on February 3 near the town of Bakhmout, where heavy fighting is ongoing.
“According to preliminary data, the deceased is a soldier of the 30th mechanized brigade by the name of Tymofiy Mykolayovych Shadura,” the Ukrainian military said on Telegram on Tuesday. “The final confirmation of his identity can only be established after the return of the body”, added the Ukrainian army, affirming that the body was on the territory controlled by the Russian army.
Moscow has yet to comment on the video, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his daily address to the nation on Monday that it showed “occupiers brutally killing” a “combatant who bravely says ‘glory to Ukraine’ to them.” “. He promised to “find the murderers” and thanked all those who fight for Ukraine.
Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, said he had sent the footage to international partners and fellow mediators around the world as “evidence of another Russian war crime.” “. He pointed out that the execution of a captured soldier is a violation of the Geneva Convention. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also asked the International Criminal Court to investigate the video.
