- WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT
- Horrendous footage shows two helpless Ukrainian POWs cowering in a trench
Chilling evidence has emerged of the brutal execution of two Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Vladimir Putin's troops.
Graphic drone footage appears to clearly show grotesque war crimes carried out by a Russian regiment known for previous atrocities.
Two surrendering Ukrainian PoWs cowering in a trench are killed in a hail of nine shots fired by Putin soldiers near Robotyne in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region.
The apparent cold-blooded killings are believed to have happened last month, but the footage has only now appeared.
Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Regional Prosecutor's Office has started a criminal investigation into the flouting of the rules of war and premeditated murder by invading Russian troops.
Chilling evidence has emerged of the brutal execution of two Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Vladimir Putin 's troops. Pictured: Two Ukrainian troops in Robotyne in Ukraine 's Zaporizhzhia region
Graphic drone footage appears to clearly show grotesque war crimes carried out by a Russian regiment known for previous atrocities. Pictured: Two Ukrainian troops in Robotyne in Ukraine 's Zaporizhzhia region
The shootings are being probed by Ukraine's SBU security service.
The Russian soldiers are believed to be from the 70th motorised rifle regiment, which is already under investigation for previous heinous killings of PoWs.
'The killing of prisoners of war is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and qualifies as a grave international crime,' said a Ukraine report based on the distressing footage.
Ukraine has previously claimed that Russian forces are under orders from their commanders to slaughter captured Ukrainian troops.
Last month the severed head of a surrendering Ukrainian PoW was placed on the bonnet of a captured Kozak-2 armoured vehicle.
Andriy Kostin, prosecutor-general of Ukraine, said at the time: 'This is dreadful barbarism that has no place in the 21st century.
'This is further confirmation that the aggressor's war crimes are not isolated instances, but rather a part of the Russian regime's planned policy.
'These criminal orders were issued by the occupation forces' battalion and company commanders.
'We will not let these crimes go unpunished.
The two Ukrainian soldiers were seen surrendering to Vladimir Putin's troops, cowering in a trench
The shootings are being probed by Ukraine's SBU security service. Pictured: Two Ukrainian troops in Robotyne in Ukraine 's Zaporizhzhia region
'I urge the entire civilised world to isolate and punish the terrorist country.'
Last month it was also revealed that previous slaughter of PoWs was carried out by the 70th motorised rifle regiment - military unit 71718 - of the 42nd motorised rifle division of the 58th army of the southern district of the Russian armed forces, according to GUR military intelligence.
Their permanent base is in the Russian region Chechnya, headed by close Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov.
The GUR military intelligence agency of Ukraine revealed the identities of several troops allegedly involved in executing captured troops.
The GUR said at the time: GUR statement said: 'These Russian war criminals may also be involved in the murder of several more Ukrainian prisoners of war later in May 2024.
'This is evidenced, in particular, by radio intercepts of a conversation between the occupiers and the 70th Regiment of the Russian Armed Forces, during which one of the Russian assault company commanders ordered his subordinates to shoot Ukrainian soldiers.'
