Sickening torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Vladimir Putin‘s soldiers is revealed in a shocking new video which has been reported to the UN.
The footage shows beatings, humiliation, threats, and a simulated execution against four captive soldiers.
The blindfolded men are marched through a forest near the front-line as the five Russian servicemen seek to force them to sing the Soviet national anthem.
One of the Ukrainian men is kicked in the groin, causing him to fall on the ground.
He is then kicked in the head.
A foul-mouthed Russian soldier – reported to be a paratrooper – demands he gets up before saying: ‘Looks like we’re gonna have to kill him.
Russian soldiers find themselves beating and torturing blindfolded Ukrainian prisoners of war, with one of them firing a AK-74M rifle inches from the downed Ukrainian man’s head
Russian soldier takes selfie with Ukrainian war prisoners, who can be seen blindfolded in the background
‘Do we have to kill him? Hey, get up, get up.’
He then raises his Russian army Kalashnikov rifle above the prostrate PoW’s head, shooting into the dirt track within inches of the fallen man in a mock execution.
The shameless torturers – so far not identified – do not even hide their faces, and the horrific video was openly posted on a pro-war Z-channel on Telegram which suggested it was ‘a bit of a laugh about the Ukrainians….nothing major’.
The fate of the Ukrainian men after the recording finished is unclear.
Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said the footage shows Russian soldiers ‘mocking Ukrainian prisoners of war.
Video shows how blindfolded Ukrainian men are marched through a forest near the front-line as the five Russian servicemen seek to force them to sing the Soviet national anthem
One of the Ukrainian captives was filmed being kicked in the groin by a Russian soldier, causing him to fall. He is then kicked in the head
Horrific video in which shameless torturers abuse helpless Ukrainian soldiers was posted was posted on a pro-war Z channel on Telegram
‘According to preliminary information, this happened in the Kharkiv direction, where the Russians are currently trying to conduct offensive actions.
‘The video recorded beatings, humiliation, threats, and an imitation of a shooting.
‘Unfortunately, such treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war is not an exception to the rules, but a common tactic for the occupiers.’
He said: ‘This case should be recorded as further evidence of violation of international humanitarian law by the Russian Federation.
‘I sent official letters to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United National so that they would document the fact of abuse.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights said the torture methods seen in the video are a ‘common tactic’
‘This will be another addition to the evidence base for the future tribunal over [war] criminals.
‘Russia does not observe any rules of warfare and is not at all shy about demonstrating its cruel and inhumane actions.
‘The world must react to hold Russia accountable, otherwise the right of might will defeat the might of right.’
Ukrainian Telegram channel Pravda Gerashchenko said: ‘Putin’s terrorists don’t even cover their faces and hope for impunity, but the Ukrainian Defence Forces will find these scum.’
The Russian channel which posted the video said later its compatriot soldiers were ‘high on adrenaline’, and asked: ‘Have you been to a battle? Have you lost combat comrades?’
The torture was ‘a bit of a laugh about the Ukrainians, a bit of a joke, nothing major.
‘We reminded them about their Big Motherland [the Soviet Union].
‘Not a single Taras [Ukrainian] was injured in the video.
‘As for those, who don’t want to die for Zelensky, we are waiting for you with our arms open.
‘With love, Your paratroopers.’