Russia charges Ukraine of committing a “war crime” by killing more than 10 “prisoners of war.”
The latest accusation of abuse following months of conflict in Ukraine came from Russia on Friday when Moscow claimed that Kyiv had executed some soldiers who had surrendered in what Moscow called a “war crime.”
Moscow’s allegations follow this week’s UN report, which said that both sides had tortured and mistreated prisoners of war.
No one will be able to characterize the planned and intentional shooting deaths of more than 10 restrained Russian servicemen as a “tragic exception,” according to the Russian defence ministry.
In its statement, it refers to recordings that are allegedly showing the remains of Russian personnel who were slain after turning themselves into Ukrainian forces and are currently trending on Russian-language social media.
In one video, troops can be seen ostensibly submitting to multiple camouflaged military officials with yellow armbands.
The troops who are surrendering lie down on the ground in a backyard full of trash.
The sound of gunfire is cut off abruptly in the footage.
Another video seen from above reveals the apparent blood stains surrounding the remains of almost a dozen people.
The films have not been independently verified by AFP, and the Russian defence ministry has not stated when the material was shot.
The purported murders, according to Russia’s Human Rights Council, took place in Makiivka, a village in eastern Ukraine‘s Lugansk area that the Ukrainian army claimed to have retaken this week.
Valeriy Fadeyev, chairman of the Human Rights Council, posted on social media, “We will seek for a response and an investigation from the international community.”
A UN spokeswoman told AFP, “We are aware of the films and we are looking into them,” urging for the offenders to be held accountable.
The “execution of seized Russian personnel” was the subject of a criminal investigation, according to the Russian Investigative Committee, which looks into serious crimes.
The films allegedly show Ukrainian military soldiers killing defenceless Russian prisoners of war, according to the defence ministry.
It was further said that Ukrainian soldiers had perpetrated other “war crimes” in addition to this “brutal murder.”
Moscow also said that Western nations backing Ukraine militarily were ignoring any wrongdoing on the part of the Ukrainian military.
According to the statement, Kyiv will be held accountable for “every prisoner tortured and killed.”
The charges received no immediate reaction from Ukrainian authorities.
Since the commencement of the Ukraine invasion at the end of February, Russia and Ukraine have each accused the other of abusing prisoners of war in a manner that constitutes war crimes.
