A video of a Russian soldier allegedly beheading a Ukrainian soldier is causing a stir online. President Volomidir Zelensky slammed the perpetrators of the act, calling them ‘beasts’.
As of the 12th, a 1 minute and 40 second video of a man wearing a camouflage suit and a mask beheading a man in a Ukrainian military uniform is spreading rapidly on online spaces including major social media.
It is not known exactly when and where this video was filmed and who the photographers and subjects were.
The video also includes voices of soldiers encouraging the beheader following the victim’s screams died down, and telling the commander that the victim’s head should be delivered.
Another video circulating online showing two Ukrainian soldiers lying on the ground with their heads and hands severed. The video also shows Russian soldiers laughing and mockingly saying, “Ukrainian soldiers killed Ukrainian soldiers.”
■ “Beasts…don’t think they’ll be forgotten”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address shortly following the videos were released that the world should see them, saying “something happens that no one in the world can ignore.”
“We have to see how easily these beasts can kill people,” he said. “We must act immediately. Don’t think this will be forgotten.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleva condemned Russia on Twitter on the 12th, calling it “a bigger group than the Islamic extremist militant group.”
A horrific video of Russian troops decapitating a Ukrainian prisoner of war is circulating online. It’s absurd that Russia, which is worse than ISIS, is presiding over the UNSC. Russian terrorists must be kicked out of Ukraine and the UN and be held accountable for their crimes.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) April 12, 2023
“It’s ridiculous that Russia is leading the UN Security Council,” he said.
Russia is chairing the Security Council this month in turn.
See also: Criticism of Russia…Ukraine, etc. as the rotating chair of the Security Council in April
“Russia must be kicked out of Ukraine and the United Nations,” Kuleba tweeted.
■ Possible Wagner group work
Analysis continues that the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary company, led the production and distribution of the ‘decapitation video’.
The US think tank War Research Institute (ISW) explained that there are indications that the Wagner group committed similar war crimes in Popasna, Luhansk Province, eastern Ukraine, in the spring and summer of last year.
Dmitro Rubinets, a human rights commissioner in the Ukrainian parliament, has called on the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Court of Justice to investigate the case.
“Public executions of prisoners of war are another sign of violations of the Geneva Conventions, international humanitarian law and fundamental human rights,” Rubinets said.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “horrified” by the video and “supports voices calling for the perpetrators to be held accountable”, a spokesman for the United Nations said.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) human rights monitors operating in Ukraine also condemned the action as “appalling”.
The OHCHR said, “We must properly investigate this case and hold the perpetrators accountable.”
■ Expansion of brutal images surrounding the war
Earlier last month, a video of Russian soldiers executing Ukrainian prisoners of war circulated, leading to Ukrainian authorities calling it a “war crime.”
See also: ‘Execution of unarmed prisoners’ video confirms death…Zelensky awarded title of ‘Hero of Ukraine’
The video shows a Ukrainian soldier captured by the Russians smoking a cigarette in a shallow trench before being shot with an automatic weapon.
A Ukrainian soldier shouted “Glory to Ukraine” and died as a Russian soldier yelled “die” and shot.
On the 12th of last month, the Ukrainian authorities confirmed the identity of the soldier in the video as ‘Olexandr Ihorovich Machijewski’ and awarded him the title of ‘Hero of Ukraine’.
■ Russia “verification comes first”
On the 12th, Russian authorities put forward a position that they should verify the authenticity of the contents of the ‘beheading video’.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on the day that the footage was “creepy” but that “in the world of lies we live in, we must make sure that the video is real.”
■ Prime Minister of Poland “The United States must intervene to support Korean shells”
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on the 12th that direct US intervention is needed to supply Korean shells to Ukraine.
Prime Minister Morawiecki, who is visiting the United States, said in an interview with the New York Times that day, “To support Ukraine, which is suffering from an ammunition shortage, we must utilize Korea’s abundant ammunition inventory.”
Poland%27s Prime Minister says Ukraine would benefit from South Korean artillery shells.https://t.co/4B3at4vSo3
— Jean Mackenzie (@jeanmackenzie) April 13, 2023
Prime Minister Morawiecki stressed that the Russian army, which has far more shells than the Ukrainian army, is firing more shells on the battlefield, and that South Korea, which has a huge amount of shells, can help Ukraine.
However, he said that Poland would not deliver weapons to Ukraine without consultation with South Korea, and that US intervention would be needed to purchase South Korean shells for use in Ukraine.
■ “Conversation with Korea”
Prime Minister Morawiecki went on to say, “We had talks with South Korea regarding the delivery of weapons and ammunition[to Ukraine]but this is impossible without US intervention.”
“South Korea fears the reaction of Russia and China,” he added.
South Korea signed an arms export contract with Poland last year worth $12.4 billion.
See also: Minister of Defense of Poland “Korea is a proven partner… ‘Korean Cheonmu’ excellent weapon”
The contract includes multiple rocket launchers ‘Cheonmu’, K2 tank, K-9 self-propelled howitzer, and FA-50 light attack aircraft.
On the 9th of last month, the Polish Ministry of Defense announced that it had exported self-propelled guns with Korean parts to Ukraine following receiving approval from the Korean government.
See also: Polish Ministry of Defense “Export of self-propelled guns to Ukraine with Korean approval”
Prime Minister Morawiecki’s remarks draw attention amid controversy over the bypassing of Korean weapons to Ukraine in the followingmath of the leak of classified US documents.
Confidential US documents recently leaked on social media caused a stir when former South Korean National Security Office Director Kim Seong-han had a conversation with former foreign affairs secretary Lee Moon-hee regarding arms support for Ukraine.
See also: CIA data and other leaks of U.S. secrets “The fact of wiretapping of allies such as Korea, Britain, and Israel is revealed”
The Korean government has announced that it will not provide lethal weapons to Ukraine.
This is VOA News Jongsu Oh.
