Videos reportedly show Russian soldiers being executed

Nora Fernstedt  

today 4 min 

 

The New York Times reports on the videos 

 

A series of video clips circulated on social media has created a debate over whether Ukraine committed war crimes or acted in self-defense. 

 

The clips are said to show how captured Russian soldiers are shot dead at close range in connection with the Ukrainian military retaking the village of Makiivka in Luhansk in mid-November. 

 

The Russian soldiers are said to have taken shelter on a farm. As the Ukrainian forces approach, several of the soldiers are seen laying down their weapons, some lying on the ground. 

 

But then a Russian soldier opens fire, which is returned by the Ukrainian forces. 

 

Another drone footage shows the Russian soldiers lying bloodied and motionless on the ground. 

 

The New York Times has managed to geolocate and verify the clips. But they cannot confirm how, or why, the Russian soldiers were killed. 

 

The UN has called for an investigation into the incident. Ukraine says it will happen, AP reports. At the same time, Russian authorities have stated that they have opened a criminal investigation based on the clips. 

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New explosions at Zaporizhzhya: "Playing with fire"   

 

today at 20.54

 

Nora Fernstedt 

 

A dozen or so powerful explosions have rocked the area around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. 

 

According to the UN Atomic Energy Agency IAEA, the explosions began on Saturday evening and continued through Sunday. 

 

Ukraine and Russia blame each other for the shelling. 

 

- Whoever is behind this, it must stop immediately. You are playing with fire! warns IAEA chief Rafael Grossi according to the BBC. 

 

No critical equipment or infrastructure should have been damaged. But Grossi says that explosions at the nuclear power plant, which is Europe's largest, are completely unacceptable. 

 

He again calls on Russia and Ukraine to establish a security zone around the area. 

 

- I won't think about it until this zone becomes a reality.

 

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Details: Syrian rocket has hit Turkey 

 

today at 16.04 

Nora Fernstedt 

 

A rocket fired from Syria has hit the Turkish border, Turkish state media said according to AFP. 

 

Three people, a Turkish soldier and two police officers from the special forces, are said to have been injured. 

 

According to the Turkish news agency Anadolu, the rocket hit near the village of Öncüpınar. 

 

Last night, Turkey launched a military offensive against Kurdish militias in Syria and Iraq. 

 

Airstrikes were carried out against several targets, including the city of Kobane.

 

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First death from covid in China in six months 

 

today at 09.46 

 

Johanna Sundbeck

 

No new deaths have been confirmed in China since May 26, when Shanghai had a major outbreak, writes TT. But now a new death as a result of covid-19 has been confirmed. It is an 87-year-old man from Beijing. 

 

The country continues to have a zero-tolerance policy against the virus, but protests are growing among the population. Over 92 percent of Chinese are vaccinated with at least one dose.