Ombudsman's office has dozens of videos showing executions of Ukrainian soldiers
Over the past nine months, the Office of the Ombudsman has received "dozens of videos" of public executions of Ukrainian military personnel by Russian soldiers.
Source: Dmytro Lubinets, Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) Commissioner for Human Rights, in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda
Quote from Lubinets: "There are [instances of – ed.] beheadings, cutting off genitals, ears, nose, limbs or phalanges on the hands. Some (of the Russian soldiers who carried out these executions – UP) have been identified. And I know that one person was punished (he died during a combat engagement with Ukrainian troops)."
Details: As Lubinets states, Russia publicly distributes videos of executions of Ukrainian soldiers for several reasons.
Firstly, to "maintain the degree of anti-Ukrainian hysteria" within Russian society. Secondly, to convince its soldiers not to surrender to the Armed Forces of Ukraine ("They will kill you like this if you decide to surrender"). Thirdly, to intimidate the Ukrainian military, which is preparing for a counteroffensive.
Reminder:
- On 11 April, a video was posted on Russian Telegram channels showing Russian soldiers brutally beheading a Ukrainian prisoner of war.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has called on the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to pay attention to the video, while the European Commission has emphasised that, if the video is proved to be real, it once again shows the Russian Federation's contempt for international law.
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