Graphic video footage has emerged, appearing to depict Russian soldiers executing four ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) who had surrendered. The incident allegedly occurred March 13 in Piatykhatky,a village in southern Ukraine. The Associated Press (AP) initially shared the video Thursday, highlighting the disturbing nature of the content.

Dual Perspectives: Drone Footage Reveals alleged War Crime

Two separate videos captured the event, offering differing perspectives. A Russian drone recorded the initial surrender, showing Ukrainian soldiers exiting a damaged building with their hands raised. A Ukrainian drone continued recording, allegedly capturing the subsequent execution of the POWs. The AP reported that it chose to redact the execution footage due to its graphic nature, noting that one of the men would have been beheaded through the shots.

Independent Analysis and Ukrainian response

To verify the authenticity of the videos, the AP consulted with an external analyst from an Independent London Research group, Eyes on Russia. The analyst confirmed the videos corresponded, leading to a stark conclusion:

killing prisoner of war, as can be seen on the Ukrainian video, a war crime.
Independent London research group Analyst

In response to the video evidence, Ukrainian authorities have launched a formal investigation into the incident. As of yet, the Russian Ministry of defense has not responded to inquiries from the AP regarding the allegations.

Background: Allegations of Prior Unlawful Killings

As the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, accusations of unlawful executions of Ukrainian POWs by Russian forces have been frequent. Ukrainian authorities claim that at least 245 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been illegally killed by the Russian armed forces since the start of the war. These allegations underscore the ongoing concerns regarding adherence to international laws of war in the conflict.