Ukraine on Sunday (November 20) denied having executed Russian prisoners of war. Ukrainian parliament’s commissioner for human rights argued that Ukrainian soldiers were defending themselves against Russians who feigned surrender.
Videos circulated on Russian social media this week purporting to show the bodies of Russian servicemen killed after surrendering to Ukrainian troops.
Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said “excerpts” of a video showed that Russians “using a staged capture… committed a war crime by opening fire on the Ukrainian Armed Forces”.
He assrted that the soldiers “cannot be considered prisoners of war”
“Those who want to use the protection of international law to kill must be punished,” he added.
One video circulating on Russian social media shows soldiers apparently surrendering to several military personnel in camouflage and wearing yellow armbands.
The troops giving themselves up lie down on the ground in the debris-filled backyard of a house.
The video abruptly cuts off as shots are heard.
Another video filmed from above shows the bodies of around a dozen people surrounded by apparent blood stains. These videos have not been independently confirmed by WION.
Russia has been claiming that the videos showed “deliberate and methodical murder of more than 10 restrained Russian soldiers”.
(With inputs from agencies)
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.
