Ukraine accuses Russia of executing injured prisoners at Avdiivka
Ukrainian authorities said on Sunday they had opened an investigation into alleged shootings by Russian forces of six unarmed Ukrainian soldiers in the city of Avdiivka, and two at a village in the same region, after Russia claimed full control of the city, Reuters reports.
"An investigation into the shootings of unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war in Avdiivka and Vesele has been launched," the prosecutor's office in Donetsk region said on its Telegram channel.
The prosecutors referred to information about "the execution of six prisoners" at a position in Avdiivka, adding that they were "seriously injured and awaiting evacuation." It said the information had been shared on Telegram but did not name the source.
Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne quoted Ukrainian military spokespersonDmytro Lykhoviy as saying: "There is still no possibility to confirm or refute" the killings at Avdiivka, as an investigation was ongoing. However, he added it would not be the first time Russia had committed war crimes.
The Donetsk prosecutor's office said a video fragment taken by a drone showed a Russian soldier shooting two captured Ukrainian soldiers at close range at the village of Vesele.
"Not wanting to leave the prisoners alive, the occupier kills them with automatic weapons," the office added, without saying when the incident had occurred.
Russia's defence ministry did not respond to a Reuters email sent outside regular business hours seeking comment on the allegations, the latest in a series of accusations leveled by Ukrainian prosecutors that it has killed prisoners of war. Russia has denied such claims.
