Ukraine Accuses Russia of War Crimes: Drone Footage of Prisoner Execution

2023-12-28 11:11:00

Ukraine accuses Russia of drone filming execution of prisoners of war

December 28, 2023, 12:11 p.m

Russian troops are said to have committed war crimes near Robotyne. A video shows the execution of several men. The Prosecutor General’s Office in Kiev is investigating. A similar case from the region previously caused horror.

A video has been released from the ranks of the Ukrainian armed forces that is said to show the execution of three prisoners of war. According to the Prosecutor General’s Office in Kyiv, the footage was taken by a drone near Verbove, near Robotyne in the west of the Zaporizhzhia region. Those killed are said to be Ukrainian soldiers who were said to have been captured shortly before. The US Institute for War Studies (ISW) also reported regarding the case.

In the clip, which is being shared on social networks and Ukrainian media, three men can be clearly seen standing next to each other in a barren landscape. Several people positioned themselves around them, at least one of whom eventually opened fire. One following the other, the three men fall to the ground. The bystanders then move towards the people who were shot and a shooter fires once more at the lifeless bodies from close range.

According to the Ukrainian media Euromaidan Press, the video recorded by a reconnaissance drone was shot by Stanislav Buniatov, a soldier of the 24th Separate Assault Brigade “Aidar”, posted on Telegram. According to Buniatov, the prisoners of war were members of the 117th Mechanized Brigade.

The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office has opened an investigation into, among other things, premeditated murder: “According to the investigation, in December 2023, during a military clash with the Ukrainian Defense Forces near the village of Robotyne, three Ukrainian defenders were captured. An hour later, they were captured by the occupiers in violation of “Article 3 of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War,” it said in a statement.

Multiple incidents at Robotyne

A video was released last month that most likely shows the execution of Ukrainian soldiers by Russian troops. The Ukrainian General Prosecutor’s Office also points to other possible war crimes near Robotyne: Russian units are said to have used Ukrainian prisoners of war as human shields, which was also recorded by a drone.

A video of the event showed Russian soldiers apparently driving Ukrainian prisoners in front of them in order to covertly fire on positions behind them. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has also begun investigations in this case.

The village of Robotyne in southern Ukraine is located directly on the front line and only rubble remains of it. Ukrainian units are currently fighting to hold the defensive line.

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