Moscow vows to "punish" the perpetrators of supposed executions in Ukraine
Zelensky pledges victory over Russia on the "Day of Dignity and Freedom"
Zelensky appears on the screen as he speaks during the 68th annual session of the Parliamentary Assembly of "NATO" in Madrid.
Reuters
The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, celebrated the “Day of Dignity and Freedom” yesterday, by praising the sacrifices of the Ukrainian people since the beginning of the war, and saying that his country would stand firm and win, and at a time when the Kremlin vowed to find those responsible for the killing of a group of Russian soldiers in Ukraine and punish them for what he described. As an "execution" process, Kyiv said that these soldiers were killed after a mock surrender.
In a video address to the nation, Zelensky paid tribute to the contributions Ukrainians have made, from soldiers, firefighters and medics to teachers offering online lessons, villagers preparing food for the army, tailors sewing uniforms, and farmers plowing their fields despite the dangers.
He also praised the people's ability to challenge despite the repeated missile strikes, widespread destruction, and power outages with the onset of winter, nearly nine months after the start of the war.
"We can stay without money, without gas, without hot water, without electricity, but not without freedom," Zelensky said in his speech from the presidential palace in the capital, Kyiv.
The Day of Dignity and Freedom commemorates the pro-EU protests that took place in 2013 and 2014 and became known as the Maidan Revolution or the Dignity Revolution, as well as the Orange Revolution in 2004. In both revolutions, the Ukrainian leadership was overthrown.
On the other hand, the Kremlin vowed, yesterday, to find those responsible for the killing of a group of Russian soldiers in Ukraine and punish them for what he described as an “execution” process. committed the crime.
They must be found and punished.”
He added that Moscow would go to international bodies for this purpose, "if it could be useful."
On Friday, Russia accused Ukraine of executing more than 10 of its soldiers after laying down their arms, based on videos posted on social media.
In one of the videos, about 10 soldiers, who appear to be Russian, emerge one by one from a hiding place with their hands in the air, then lie down with their faces on the ground, apparently at the orders of Ukrainian soldiers, who point their weapon at them.
The video ends abruptly as shadows of other people emerge from the shelter and appear to have fired.
Another video clip, filmed by a drone, shows the same place, with about 10 corpses of soldiers lying in bloodstains.
The Ukrainian human rights official, Dmytro Lubinets, said the day before yesterday that the videos showed "imaginary surrender" and that the Russian soldiers "committed a war crime by opening fire on the Ukrainian armed forces."
"The Russian servicemen who were killed in this incident cannot therefore be considered prisoners of war," he added.
The emergence of videos that appear to show the shooting of surrendering Russian soldiers has prompted international investigations.
A spokesman for the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva said yesterday that it was aware of the reports.
"Allegations of summary executions of persons 'hors de combat' must be promptly, fully and effectively investigated," he added, using a French term in international law meaning not engaged in active combat or unable to perform combat missions in war.
According to experts consulted by The New York Times, the videos are authentic, though much about the background of the images remains unclear.
On Friday, Russia accused Ukraine of executing more than 10 of its soldiers after laying down their arms.
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