ISTANBUL 

Ukraine has said it will investigate the content of video footage shared by Russia showing Ukrainian soldiers allegedly shooting more than 10 Russian soldiers said to be surrendering.

“Of course, Ukrainian authorities will investigate this video,” Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olga Stefanishyna, said on the sidelines of a security forum in Canada on Saturday.

During the forum, Stefanishyna said it is “very unlikely” that the footage shows what Russia claims to have taken place, adding that Ukrainian forces do not intend to execute anyone because they have direct orders to take “as many prisoners of war” as possible for prisoner exchanges.

“Every potentially executed Russian soldier is some Ukrainian that is not able to be exchanged, so the spirit and logic is not there,” she said.

Her statement comes as the video footage about the Russian soldiers has circulated on Russian Telegram channels and relayed on other social media, which is said to have been recorded in Makiivka, a village retaken by Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donetsk region.

‘Criminality outweighs allegations’

A US official announced on Monday that Washington is following the developments concerning the video, adding that laws of war apply to all parties of war equally but that this equivalency “ends with the war in Ukraine.”

“When we’re looking at the sheer scale of criminality exhibited by Russian forces, it’s enormous compared to the allegations that we have seen against Ukrainian forces. And likewise, we’re seeing a vast difference when it comes to the reaction to such allegations,” Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, Beth Van Schaack, said in a special briefing.

In response to a question on the video, Van Schaack further expressed that Russia responds to such allegations “with propaganda, denial, mis- and disinformation,” whereas the Ukrainian authorities have “generally acknowledged abuses, have denounced them and have pledged to investigate them.”

She added: “We would urge Ukraine to continue to abide by international obligations in this conflict, and we continue to reiterate the importance that all parties to the conflict must abide by international law or face the consequences.”

The Russian Embassy in the US criticized Van Schaack’s comments on the matter, saying that she “refused to directly condemn the massacre of our unarmed soldiers, despite the confirmation of the authenticity of the relevant video materials by American journalists.”

“By condoning the crimes of the Kyiv regime and ignoring them, Washington supports murderers who deserve no forgiveness or justification. It is high time to strongly condemn the acts of neo-Nazis,” a statement from the embassy read early on Tuesday.

‘Atrocity’

The Kremlin responded to the video footage on Monday, saying they will search for those responsible for the murder of the Russian soldiers.

“Russia will do everything possible, within the framework of international mechanisms, to draw attention to this crime and call to justice those who may be involved in it. Russia will search for those who committed this crime. They must be found and punished,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a weekly briefing.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also addressed the topic, saying that such “atrocities” will not go unpunished.

"All those responsible and involved in the crimes will be identified and they will suffer the punishment that they deserve,” Zakharova said.

Meanwhile, the Russian Duma, the lower house of parliament, adopted a statement on Tuesday in connection with the killing of the Russian war prisoners, calling on the parliaments of the world countries to condemn the actions of Ukraine.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday that the killing of the Russian prisoners of war “confirms the atrocious nature of the current Kyiv regime led by (President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy and those who protect and support him."

It added: “Zelenskyy and his henchmen will be forced to stand trial of the court of history, peoples of Russia and Ukraine, for everyone, and for each tortured and murdered prisoner.”