The sickening footage appears to show the moment a senior Russian officer using a live aerial drone to repeatedly demand the killing of unarmed, surrendered soldiers
Ukraine: Russian commander appears to order execution of surrendering troops
As peace talks begin today between the US and Russia, a Putin commander has been revealed ‘ordering the illegal execution of two Ukrainian fighters’ on the battlefield.
Sickening footage purports to catch the senior officer using a live aerial drone feed to repeatedly demand the killing of the unarmed, surrendered soldiers. The video appears to show Russia’s latest heinous war crime on the frontline.
Three times, the commander is heard issuing an order to kill two of the three Ukrainian prisoners of war, having asked to be shown the captives via the drone camera. “Keep one and zero [execute] the others. Order,” he is heard saying three times.
He tells the men on the ground that they have an “excuse” to shoot the Ukrainians in cold blood. Earlier, he asks his fighters to bring the Ukrainians out of their trench into the open so he can see them on the live aerial reconnaissance drone.
The commander barks: “Come on, so I can see them.” A voice says: “Long ****ing time in the ****ing open field, long ****ing time.”
This may allude to a risk for the Russian soldiers in a forward position, being spotted by Ukrainians killer drones. “They’re ****ing ready,” the commander barks, after giving the order to kill two of the Ukrainians.
“Keep one and zero [execute] the others. Order,” he demanded three times. At least one of the POWs is seen being shot, it appears.
“****ing well-done,” said the bloodthirsty commander as the murder was carried out. The footage was seized on by the Ukrainians after being published on a fanatical Russian war channel.
A Russian commentary seeking to justify the killings, stated: “The commander leading the assault group, realising that because of the surrendered [Ukrainians], the entire group was in the open for too long and was exposing itself to unjustified risk, gave the order ‘Zero!’, which was almost immediately carried out.”
It comes as the US and Russia are holding their first meeting in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday regarding a peace agreement to halt the war in Ukraine. The exact time and place of the video is not clear.
Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported the video to the United Nations and the Red Cross. “Another shameless crime,” he said.
“Russian military channels are posting a video of an alleged execution of Ukrainian servicemen who had been captured by the Russians. The video shows Russian soldiers being repeatedly ordered to shoot prisoners of war.
“This underlines that executions are a deliberate Russian policy.” Lubinets said: “As the Human Rights Commissioner of Ukraine, I immediately sent letters to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
“The organisations should put pressure on the Russian side so that Russia feels the consequences of such actions and does not commit them in the future.” In December, Lubinets stated that 109 cases of Ukrainian POWs being executed by Russian soldiers were confirmed in 2024.
In early February, reports emerged that a Russian military man beheaded a Ukrainian soldier.
