CNN Airs DISTURBING Footage of Ukrainian POWs Reportedly Mowed Down by Russian Troops: ‘Pattern of Apparent Executions’
CNN obtained and aired disturbing footage on Saturday of three Ukrainian soldiers who were reportedly executed late last month by Russian troops well after they gave themselves up for captivity.
The apparent war crime occurred in eastern Ukraine late near the city of Pokrovsk, CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh reported. The video that was aired uncut by CNN shows three soldiers on their knees with their hands on their heads.
Each of the three appeared unarmed as they seemingly waited to be detained as prisoners of war. Suddenly, the trio fell lifelessly forward after apparently being shot in the back. Walsh reported:
The incident, described by a Ukrainian official who asked for some details to be withheld to protect the identity of the unit, is part of a pattern of apparent executions, seemingly increasing in pace this year. Ukrainian defense intelligence sources have given CNN a list of 15 cases since November, most supported by drone video or audio intercepts, in which they say surrendering Ukrainian troops were killed by the Russians on the front lines, rather than being taken prisoner. Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Andriy Kostin, told CNN on Wednesday his office was investigating at least 28 such incidents since the start of the war.
[…]
Ukrainian prosecutors said Friday they were now investigating “the possible execution of 73 Ukrainian prisoners of war by the Russian military.”
Killing enemy soldiers after their clear surrender is a war crime as laid out in Article 13 concerning the handling of POWs under the Geneva Convention. Article 13 states:
Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated. Any unlawful act or omission by the Detaining Power causing death or seriously endangering the health of a prisoner of war in its custody is prohibited, and will be regarded as a serious breach of the present Convention. In particular, no prisoner of war may be subjected to physical mutilation or to medical or scientific experiments of any kind which are not justified by the medical, dental or hospital treatment of the prisoner concerned and carried out in his interest. Likewise, prisoners of war must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or intimidation and against insults and public curiosity. Measures of reprisal against prisoners of war are prohibited.
Prisoners of war are to be protected, treated humanely, and with their dignity in mind.
Watch the disturbing video above via CNN.
