Russian News Agency TASS has published a report on the UN response to videos circulating online purporting to show at least one Ukrainian soldier shooting Russian POWs in the head whilst demanding information from them.
There are two videos related to the incident, the first showing a man in Ukrainian uniform with others in Ukrainian uniforms shouting at Prisoners Of War (POW) lying on the ground. One captive appears to have already been shot in the head and dead as the video commences.
The presumed Ukrainian soldier then demands information about the prisoner’s unit and proceeds to shoot him in the head before turning to another prisoner.
It is difficult to estimate the number of prisoners lying on the ground, but it is likely there were more than in the camera shot.
One soldier is heard arguing with the shooter about the summary executions of the prisoners.
A second video has emerged purporting to show the shooter excusing why he shot the prisoners.
There have been numerous similar videos made available online from Ukrainian militant Telegram channels and captured Ukrainian soldiers’ recording devices since the beginning of the latest phase of this war in February 2023.
TASS news Agency contacted the United Nations regarding the most recent videos, and reports…
“GENEVA, February 10. /TASS/. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed its concerns to the Defence Ministry of Ukraine over the mistreatment of Russian POWs, including murder of captives, OHCHR Spokeswoman Marta Hurtado told TASS Friday.
She noted that the UN human rights monitoring commission in Ukraine “documents and reports violations of international humanitarian law by all sides.”
“We have raised concerns about the treatment of prisoners of war, including alleged killings of POWs by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, with Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence,” Hurtado said.”
TASS also reported that…
“The spokeswoman underscored that the OHCHR considers the video footage of execution of Russian POWs that has been published online to be authentic.
“We are aware of this video, and we believe that it is authentic,” Hurtado said. We are also aware of another video that has appeared on social media platforms which includes additional footage of the original incident and also appears to show a Ukrainian soldier confessing the killing and trying to justify it by alleging that the victims refused to surrender or that they were part of the Wagner Group military and security contractors fighting on behalf of the Russian Federation. These excuses do not provide justification for the soldier’s actions under international humanitarian law.”