Ukraine on beheading prisoner in Russia video: “Crimes against humanity”
According to Ukraine, this was “not the first instance of the Russian army treating Ukrainian prisoners inhumanely”.
After a video online apparently showed Russian soldiers filming themselves beheading a Ukrainian captive with a knife, Ukraine said that the killing of a Ukrainian prisoner of war on camera was a “grave breach of the Geneva Conventions” and a “war crime”.
According to the requirements of the Ukrainian Criminal Code and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the assassination of a Ukrainian prisoner of war seen on camera constitutes a serious violation of the Geneva Conventions and a war crime. Such acts may also be classified as crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
“The Russian army is still committing atrocious war crimes in Ukraine. A horrifying video showing Russian soldiers beheading a Ukrainian prisoner of war has shocked Ukraine. Russian executioners take a person’s life with a peculiar cynicism while posing for the camera, it said.
According to Ukraine, this is “not the first instance of the Russian army treating Ukrainian prisoners inhumanely”. Numerous Ukrainian cities and villages, including Bucha, Irpen, Gostomel, Borodyanka, Olenivka, Mariupol, reported thousands of instances.
“Russia is purposefully carrying out its policy of torturing captured military personnel and civilians in Ukraine, as well as abusing them physically, treating them inhumanely, and killing them on purpose. In the context of the investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by citizens of the Russian Federation on Ukrainian territory, we call on the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to open an immediate investigation into yet another atrocity committed by the Russian military.
“All those implicated in atrocious atrocities in Ukraine, including the top leadership and direct perpetrators of the Russian Federation, will surely be held accountable. We implore the international community to act right away to provide military assistance to Ukraine, which will aid in defending the Ukrainian people from Russian genocide and liberating all of our regions, the statement stated.
According to Reuters, Ukraine’s domestic security agency SBU announced that it has opened an inquiry into a possible war crime due to the footage.
