Russia’s presidency in UNSC looks cynical after execution of POW – Ukraine Mission to UN

Russia’s presidency in the UN Security Council looks extremely cynical and detrimental for the credibility and capability of this organ against the backdrop of an execution-style killing of a Ukrainian prisoner of war by Russian troops.

The relevant statement was issued by the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN, commenting on the execution of a Ukrainian prisoner by the Russian occupation forces, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Against the backdrop of this heinous crime, the presidency of the Russian Federation in the UN Security Council looks extremely cynical and detrimental for the credibility and capability of this organ,” the statement reads.

The diplomats emphasized that “the country that has been acknowledged as the aggressor state by the UN General Assembly, the country that persists in committing the crime of aggression, war crimes and crimes against humanity, should not lead the activities of the UN organ, vested with primary responsibility to maintain the international peace and security”.

“We rely on strong and resolute stance by the UN Member States in condemning the Russian war crimes and in addressing the incompatibility of the actions of the Russian Federation with the notion of ‘peace-loving State’ in the meaning of the Article 4 of the UN Charter,” the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN noted.

According to the statement, Russia deliberately implements its policy of torture, physical abuse, inhumane treatment, intentional infliction of severe suffering, serious bodily harm, and intentional killing of captured military personnel and civilians in Ukraine.

“This shocking incident has just made stronger our resolve to ensure accountability and bring all those involved in heinous crimes in Ukraine, including the Russian Federation’s highest leadership and direct perpetrators, to account,” the diplomats concluded.

A reminder that two videos have recently been posted on social media, allegedly showing the beheadings of Ukrainian defenders.

According to CNN, the videos appear to be of separate events. One of them may have been filmed very recently, while the other – from the amount of foliage seen on the ground – looks like it was filmed during the summer.

The first video was filmed by Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group and shows the beheaded corpses of two Ukrainian soldiers lying on the ground next to a destroyed military vehicle. The second video is heavily blurred and shows a Russian fighter using a knife to cut off the head of a Ukrainian soldier.

The Security Service of Ukraine launched a pre-trial investigation regarding the video that shows the Russian invaders cutting off the head of a Ukrainian prisoner of war. Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are taking actions to identify those who committed that war crime.