New York Times shares video of missile attack on volunteers in Bakhmut
The New York Times showed a video recording of a deliberate missile attack on a team of volunteers that Russians carried out in Bakhmut on 2 February, killing an American medic volunteer Pete Reed.
Source: The New York Times
Details: The publication reports that they received a video recording of a missile attack on a team of humanitarian workers in Bakhmut, who were helping the civil population. The video was recorded by Erko Laidinen, an Estonian volunteer from Frontline Medics organisation, who was nearby at the time of the attack.
A frame-by-frame analysis of the footage suggests that the attack was carried out with an 9M133 Kornet anti-tank laser-guided missile, that has a range of 4,8 kilometres. The publication emphasises that such a weapon is used mostly when the soldier sees and chooses the target.
The video shows Reed and a group of medics standing next to a white van they were using to transport humanitarian supplies. A missile flying on a low trajectory struck the van directly.
The Estonian volunteer said his car's dash cam also captured the episode, and that the video showed a second missile strike that was aimed at another car but missed the target. The video recording has not been released yet.
The NYT reports that it is not known whether the Russians knew the group was made up of volunteer medical workers. But the convoy had markings that should have signalled the type of vehicles being struck.
One of the cars was clearly marked with a red cross. However, the white Mercedes-Benz van did not have any clearly visible medical identification, and although the aid workers were unarmed, at least one medic was wearing military-style camouflage.
Volunteer Roma, who stood next to Reed, told The Times that there were no military units nearby. One of the vehicles was clearly marked as an ambulance, he said. He gave only his first name for security reasons.
A photo published by The Wall Street Journal shows a wounded Norwegian medic running from the scene of the attack. It also shows an ambulance with a red cross standing across the road from the site of the missile strike.
Experts interviewed by the publication say that the type of weapon used should have allowed the military to determine the nature of the target. With such a weapon, "one would expect the shooter to be able to tell the difference between a medical worker and a soldier".
Background:
- On 2 February, while giving aid to the civilian population in Bakmut, American medic volunteer Pete Reed was killed.
Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
