Russian Soldier Shot by Ukrainian Forces: An In-Depth Investigation

Russian investigators are probing a video showing a wounded Russian soldier being shot by Ukrainian forces. The footage was posted by Ukraine's Azov Brigade and verified for location by Reuters. Both nations, signatories to the Geneva Conventions, are accusing each other of war crimes.

Russian investigators said on Tuesday they were looking into the shooting of a wounded Russian soldier by Ukrainian forces in a video published online by Ukraine's Azov Brigade. The graphic footage, posted on YouTube and the brigade's social media channels on Monday, shows an Azov soldier clearing a Russian trench and repeatedly shooting what appears to be a wounded Russian soldier.

Reuters verified the video's location but could not determine the filming date or the wounded Russian soldier's identity. Both Ukraine and Russia, signatories to the Geneva Conventions, are obliged to ensure the humane treatment of wounded combatants.

The Ukrainian military's General Staff redirected questions to the National Guard, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Azov, now part of Ukraine's national guard, has distanced itself from past far-right ideologies. Russia's Investigative Committee announced it would investigate the incident, calling it a potential violation of the Geneva Conventions.

Azov stated that the footage was recorded during an operation to clear enemy positions in Ukraine's Luhansk region but did not specify the date. Since the onset of conflict in February 2022, Ukraine has investigated nearly 130,000 suspected war crimes, while the International Criminal Court has issued warrants against senior Russian figures, including President Vladimir Putin. Both nations continue to accuse each other of war crimes.

(With inputs from agencies.)