Video published on Wednesday shows Ukrainian soldiers killing their apparently captured Russian counterparts with their hands tied behind their backs – just as accusations of similar atrocities committed by Russian forces surface from the city of Bucha.
The video, which the New York Times verified Wednesday, shows Ukrainian troops committing the killings, after what appeared to be an ambush outside a village west of Kyiv.
‘He’s still alive,’ one of the Ukrainians – identifiable by their flag patches and ‘glory to Ukraine’ paraphernalia – can be heard saying, as a Russian soldier is seen with a jacket pulled over his head. ‘Film these marauders. Look, he’s still alive. He’s gasping.’
One of the soldiers then shoots the man three times. After the second shot, the man keeps moving but stops after the third bullet.
There appear to be at least three other Russian soldiers dead lying near the latest victim, all wearing camouflage and three with white arm bands typically worn by Russian military units.
Video published on Wednesday shows Ukrainian soldiers killing their Russian counterparts with their hands tied behind their backs
The video, which the New York Times verified Wednesday, shows what looks to be Ukrainian troops committing the killings in what appears to be a Ukrainian ambush outside a village west of Kyiv
One of the soldiers then shoots the man three times. After the second shot, the man keeps moving but stops after the third bullet
‘He’s still alive,’ one of the Ukrainians – identifiable by their flag patches and ‘glory to Ukraine’ paraphernalia – can be heard saying, as a Russian soldier is seen with a jacket pulled over his head. ‘Film these marauders. Look, he’s still alive. He’s gasping’
The video was taken from a road just north of Dmytrivka, about seven miles southwest of Bucha, where survivors from the month-long occupation of the town have just begun to describe their gruesome treatment at the hands of Putin’s invading troops, after area was liberated by Ukrainian forces this week.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian soldiers have also used one of Moscow’s captured thermobaric weapons against Russian troops.
They fired the feared ‘blazing sun’ TOS-1A rocket launcher near Izyum in eastern Ukraine. The ‘vacuum bombs’ suck in oxygen from the target area, creating a blast that can destroy internal organs. They are illegal to use against civilians, but are lawful against military targets
Despite the heroics of the Ukrainian army, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg today warned the war in Ukraine could last ‘months, even years’ as there is no sign Vladimir Putin has lost ‘his ambition to control the whole country’.
Ukrainian authorities urged civilians in the country’s east to flee ‘now’ or ‘risk death’ as Russian forces regroup ahead of what is expected to be a fresh offensive in the Donbas region.
Stoltenberg, speaking ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, said the international community should be ‘realistic’ about Moscow’s intentions and ‘realise that this may last for a long time’ as the war entered its 41st day.
‘We need also to be prepared for the long haul, both when it comes to supporting Ukraine, sustaining sanctions and strengthening our defences,’ he added.
Fantastic drone footage also emerged Wednesday showing the remarkable courage and tactics of a single Ukrainian tank, which successfully ambushed a whole column of Russian armored vehicles.
The convoy fired rounds into nearby buildings and also directed fire across neighboring fields, seemingly at targets off camera, but the lone Ukrainian tank remained hidden as it continued to pound the invaders with shells, ultimately destroying two vehicles.
Fantastic drone footage has emerged showing the remarkable courage and tactics of a single Ukrainian tank, which successfully ambushed a whole column of Russian armoured vehicles
The convoy fired rounds into nearby buildings and also directed fire across neighbouring fields, seemingly at targets off camera, but the lone Ukrainian tank remained hidden as it continued to pound the invaders with shells, ultimately destroying two vehicles
The Ukrainian T-64 tank managed to operate incredibly effectively against the Russian armour, despite the considerable discrepancy in their technology (a T-64 is seen firing during a military drill for Ukrainian soldiers at the training centre of Ukrainian Ground Forces near Rivne, Ukraine, February 16, 2022)
A Ukrainian service member walks next to a damaged Russian BTR-82, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in the village of Nova Basan, Ukraine
A local resident drives past a destroyed Russian armoured personal carrier, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in the village of Nova Basan
The date of the ambush was not given, but it is thought to have taken place last week, given that the majority of Russian forces retreated from towns and villages around Kyiv late last week and over the weekend.
Geolocation shows the ambush took place along the HO7 highway which runs through Nova Basan, connecting Kyiv with the Western cities of Sumy and Kharkiv.
Meanwhile, images published on April 1 showed Ukrainian soldiers inspecting a series of burnt-out Russian tanks and BTRs in Nova Basan, which may well have been the remnants of the effective ambush.
The Ukrainian tank managed to operate incredibly effectively against the Russian armour, despite the considerable discrepancy in their technology.
The T-64 is a Soviet-era machine, first deployed as early as the 1960s, and Ukraine inherited thousands of the vehicles when the Soviet Union collapsed.
Armoured vehicle technology has since moved on massively – the Russian BTRs that were destroyed in the clip only entered service a decade ago – but Ukraine still relies heavily on the ageing tanks as the bulk of its military might.
Images published in January less than a month prior to the Russian invasion showed scores of T-64 tanks left out in the snow, waiting to be retrofitted with upgraded armour and weapons at a tank repair plant in Kharkiv.
The footage of the daring ambush emerged as Ukrainian authorities claim Russia’s death toll in the war is nearing 20,000.
Ukraine’s armed forces are continuing to push back invading Kremlin troops and retake ‘key terrain’ around the capital and other eastern cities, while Putin‘s forces retreat to refocus their efforts on the Donbas.
In an intelligence update posted yesterday, Britain’s MoD said that due to the scale of the damage, many of Russian units ‘are likely to require significant re-equipping and refurbishment before being available to redeploy for operations in eastern Ukraine.’
However, Russian forces are continuing to conduct brutal bombing campaigns in cities like Mariupol where the civilian death toll has risen to 5,000.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said that even though Ukraine is taking back the capital, he urged civilians not to return for ‘at least another week’, with explosives left around the city, and described the situation in east of Ukraine as ‘critical’.
Elsewhere, Ukraine’s general staff said Russia has again used banned cluster munitions in Mykolaiv, targeting civilian buildings including a children hospital in a horrific attack which has killed 11 and wounded 61.
As the Czech Republic became the first bloc member to send tanks and armoured infantry vehicles to Kyiv on Thursday, NATO’s foreign ministers met today to discuss sending more arms to Ukraine after it emerged the EU had sent just £1bn in aid to President Zelensky’s troops since the invasion began on February 24.
Members of the trans-Atlantic alliance had until today given Ukraine only anti-tank and anti-craft missiles, small arms and protective equipment, but not offered heavy armour or fighter jets.
Today’s delivery is understood to be a gift agreed on by NATO allies, raising fears the bloc could be dragged into the Russian war in Ukraine despite remaining on the sidelines for more than a month.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg today warned the war in Ukraine could last ‘months, even years’ as there is no sign Vladimir Putin has lost ‘his ambition to control the whole country’
Members of the trans-Atlantic alliance had until today given Ukraine only anti-tank and anti-craft missiles, small arms and protective equipment, but not offered heavy armour or fighter jets (pictured, destruction wreaked by Russian forces in Borodyanka)
A car is seen riddled with bullet holes on the street on April 5, 2022 in Bucha, Ukraine. Milley said the war in Ukraine could last for years
Field engineers of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine conduct mine clearing among destroyed vehicles on a street of Bucha
City workers carry body bags with six partially burnt bodies found in the town of Bucha, among an estimated 400 civilian corpses
Policemen work on the identification process following the killing of civilians in Bucha, before sending the bodies to the morgue
Stoltenberg also confirmed that some members of the alliance had sent heavy weaponry to Ukraine following reports the Czech Republic had supplied Soviet-era tanks to Kyiv.
‘Since the invasion allies have stepped up their support. I also expect that ministers when they meet today and tomorrow will discuss how they can further support Ukraine,’ he said, declining to give details.
‘I can say that the totality of what allies are doing is significant and that includes also some heavier systems combined with lighter systems.’
Several BVP-1 infantry fighting vehicles, howitzer artillery pieces and more than a dozen T-72 tanks were yesterday loaded on a train bound for Slovakia where they are expected to head on to Ukraine, footage run by public broadcaster Czech Television showed.
The Czech delivery has been funded by Prague as well as private donors who have contributed to a crowdsourced fundraising campaign to supply arms to Kyiv.
Ukraine burns through in a single day the same amount of weaponry it receives in a week, according to a senior Polish official, and Kyiv’s eastern neighbours are concerned with keeping up with demand.
Prague, and neighbouring Slovakia which has no tanks to give, are also considering helping repair and refit damaged Ukrainian military equipment. Germany will send several dozen infantry fighting vehicles to Kyiv and the UK has approved the delivery of 20 ambulances.
The United States has agreed to provide an additional $100 million in assistance to Ukraine, including Javelin anti-armour systems, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. US chipmaker Intel Corp (INTC.O) said it had suspended business operations in Russia, joining a growing list of companies leaving the country.
NATO has already supplied fuel, ammunition, helmets, protective gear and medical supplies to Ukraine, Stoltenberg said yesterday.
Chief Stoltenberg said the international community should be ‘realistic’ about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s (pictured) intentions and ‘realise that this may last for a long time’ as the war entered its 41st day
The Czech Republic has become the first NATO country to send tanks to Ukraine, providing T-72 and armoured infantry vehicles following President Zelensky’s plea for help (pictured, tanks loaded on a train bound for Ukraine on Tuesday)
Several BVP-1 infantry fighting vehicles (pictured) and more than a dozen T-72 tanks were yesterday loaded on a train bound for Ukraine, footage published by Czech Television showed
The Czech delivery of T-72s (pictured) has been funded by Prague as well as private donors who have contributed to a crowdsourced fundraising campaign to supply arms to Kyiv
Zelensky accused the West of holding back on supplies because of ‘intimidation’ from Moscow and suggested Russia is in charge of NATO
Field engineers of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine stand next to destroyed armoured vehicles on a street in the town of Bucha, on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, April 5, 2022
Ukrainian servicemen inspect the wreckage of houses, cars and Russian military vehicles in the town of Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, yesterday
President Joe Biden has in recent weeks ordered more US troops to NATO’s eastern flank to reassure edgy allies and pledged to protect the bloc’s territory if Russian forces stray over more borders.
Ukraine’s deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk today said in a message on Telegram that residents of the country’s eastern regions should evacuate ‘now’ or ‘risk death’ due to a feared Russian attack.
‘The governors of the Kharkiv, Lugansk and Donetsk regions are calling on the population to leave these territories and are doing everything to ensure that the evacuations take place in an organised manner,’ she said.
The call for urgent evacuations comes as Ukraine says Russian forces are regrouping to launch a fresh offensive in the country’s east after retreating from the Kyiv region.
Vereshchuk asked residents to cooperate with authorities, saying Kyiv will ‘not be able to help’ them after an attack.
‘It has to be done now because later people will be under fire and face the threat of death. There is nothing they will be able to do about it, nor will we be able to help,’ she said.
‘It is necessary to evacuate as long as this possibility exists. For now, it still exists,’ she added.
Russian forces last week pulled back from positions outside Kyiv and shifted the focus of their assault away from the capital, and Ukraine’s general staff said the northeastern city of Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest, also remained under attack.
Authorities in the eastern region of Luhansk on Wednesday urged residents to get out ‘while it is safe’ from an area that Ukraine also expects to be the target of a new offensive.
The Kremlin has declared that Ukraine’s Donbas is now a priority for the Russian army. NATO believes Moscow aims to take control of the whole Donbas region in eastern Ukraine with the aim of creating a corridor from Russia to annexed Crimea.
Russian artillery pounded the Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Kharkiv today as the West prepared more sanctions against Moscow in response to civilian killings that Kyiv and its allies have called war crimes.
