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For the past couple of days, a video has been circulating online of a Ukrainian soldier, an unarmed prisoner of war, who is killed with automatic weapons in an apparent summary execution. The video is very impressive: the unarmed man can be seen inside what could be a hole or a ditch a few tens of centimeters deep. He smokes a cigarette, and looking sideways he says: «Slava Ukraini», which in Ukrainian means: «Glory to Ukraine». At that point, from behind the camera someone replies in Russian: “Die bastard”, and numerous shots are fired with assault rifles, which kill the man instantly.
The video has been circulating a lot since Monday and at the moment there is no definitive proof that Russian soldiers killed the prisoner of war, but it appears by far the most probable hypothesis. It’s not even clear at the moment when the video was shot.
It is certainly not the first to show killings of Ukrainian prisoners of war by the Russians: in this year of invasion there have been diffuse several testimonies not only of summary executions, but also of torture and abuse. However, the prisoner’s video is particularly impressive both for the man’s attitude and for his last words, that “Slava Ukraini” which is in fact the motto of the Ukrainian resistance.
In a very few hours the video has become a symbol of resistance, it has attracted a lot of attention and it has also been commented by the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (it is very violent and impressive: the pixelated version from the moment the prisoner of war is shot can be seen Who).
Zelensky on Monday night called the slain POW a hero. «Today a video was released of the invaders brutally killing a warrior who bravely said to his face: «Glory to Ukraine!» […] We will find these killers.’ On Tuesday, the Ukrainian authorities then disclosed the identity of the prisoner of war killed: his name was Tymofiy Shadura, he was 40 years old and had been missing since 3 February. He was part of a brigade that was fighting in Bakhmut, the town in eastern Ukraine where the most violent clashes have been concentrated for months.
BREAKING:
The Ukrainian hero who defiantly said “Glory to Ukraine” before being murdered by Russian soldiers has been identified by his sister.
40-year-old Tymofiy Shadura was captured near Vuhledar, in the Donetsk region.
Rest In Peace Tymofiy. Ukraine will never forget you! pic.twitter.com/1NnHlBA0Gq
— Visegrad 24 (@visegrad24) March 7, 2023
The video has generated some discussion about Russia’s treatment of prisoners of war: international law predicts that prisoners of war are treated «humanely», and prevents them from being tortured or suffering other types of ill-treatment, but this is only the latest in a long series of episodes in which prisoners of war were summarily killed ( not unusual in a conflict).
However, the video had a huge impact, especially in the media. These days, besides Zelensky, many other people are calling Tymofiy Shadura a hero of the resistance and are producing commemorative pictures in his honor.
An unarmed Ukrainian soldier gunned down in cold blood by Russian forces after defiantly declaring “Glory to Ukraine” is fast becoming a symbol of Ukraine’s unbreakable will to resist Russia’s genocidal invasion. This war crime was videoed and posted by the Russians themselves pic.twitter.com/15sHURc6oz
— Business Ukraine mag (@Biz_Ukraine_Mag) March 6, 2023