Moscow accuses Ukraine of executing more than ten Russian prisoners of war

Sergei Choigu, Russian Defense Minister, November 9, 2022. © Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP

Text by: Anissa El Jabri Follow

2 mins

Already several exchanges of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine, including the spectacular exchange with those of Azovstal, under the aegis of Turkey.

But also many accusations between the two camps, ill-treatment, torture... and blood.

In Olenivka, in a territory controlled by pro-Russian forces, more than 50 members of the Ukrainian forces died on July 29.

Originally, an explosion for which both kyiv and Moscow blamed each other.

This Friday, it is Russia which accuses Ukraine of having "brutally" executed more than ten of these soldiers who had laid down their arms, denouncing a "war crime".

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From our correspondent in Moscow,

These are again very hard images to watch: two videos of thirty seconds each which have been circulating since the end of Friday afternoon on social networks.

We see, on the first, filmed from barely a few meters and at the height of a man, perhaps from a mobile phone, a dozen bodies in uniform.

They are lying face down in the mud of a garden.

Their armbands are red, the color worn by pro-Russian forces.

Those who approach with measured steps above them, shoot them at point-blank range, wear yellow, that of the Ukrainian soldiers.

On the second video, filmed this time from above – perhaps from a drone –, the same garden, and a pool of blood around the bodies.

Nothing else could indicate the date and the place, but it was in Makiïvka, in the Donetsk region, says the Human Rights Council at the Kremlin.

In this area, extremely violent fighting has been going on for months.

These Russian soldiers, says Moscow, had just surrendered.

For the Russian Defense Ministry, " 

 ".

This Friday, the Russian Human Rights Council to the Kremlin, an advisory body, is asking for a reaction from the international community and an investigation.

In a report released on Tuesday, the UN said many prisoners of war captured by both sides were subjected to torture and ill-treatment.

The UN had also indicated that it had received " 

 " of summary executions of Russian prisoners of war captured by Ukrainian forces and several cases of torture and ill-treatment.

►Read again: Russia: in the Belgorod region, schoolchildren are prepared to spot mines

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