Video showed his death
Killed Ukrainian was a sniper, according to investigators
03/12/2023 9:39 p.m
The clip of his murder went around the world: a man in a Ukrainian uniform is standing in a forest and smoking a cigarette. When Russian soldiers meet him, he says “Slava Ukraini” and is then riddled with bullets. Now Ukrainian authorities have clarified his identity.
According to Ukrainian authorities, the identity of the man who they believe was killed by Russian militants as a prisoner of war has been clarified. The video documenting the process went around the world. It shows the man standing in a small ditch in a section of forest and smoking a cigarette. With the camera trained on him, the Ukrainian soldier blows out smoke and says the words “Slava Ukraini,” which means “Glory to Ukraine.” A slogan that has often been used, especially since the attack by Russia, to express solidarity with the homeland and contempt for the Russian occupiers. After the Ukrainian soldier says the words, fire is immediately opened on him. Several bullets puncture the man, he falls to the ground. After that, some more insults from the Russian fighters can be heard, then the clip ends.
Investigators came to the conclusion that it was a man named Oleksandr Matsiyevsky, according to a post by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense on Twitter. Matsiyevsky was a sniper in the 119th brigade of the Ukrainian land forces, it is said. After the video appeared, another name for the identity of the dead man was initially in circulation.
Explain Ukrainian security services in a short messagehow they came to the conclusion. Relatives of the deceased were heard and photo and video material was evaluated. According to the authorities, Matsiyevsky has been missing since December and, according to their investigations, shot dead on December 30. The video only appeared on social media much later. According to the security services, the perpetrators are being investigated. The investigations are being conducted under the auspices of the Attorney General’s Office.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recalled an honor he had bestowed on Matsiyevsky before his identity was known and shared an artistic adaptation of his stoic posture during his last cigarette.
War crimes committed by the Russian invaders and occupiers are repeatedly pointed out in Ukraine. The killing of prisoners of war is a violation of the Geneva Convention. It says in Article 13: “Prisoners of war shall be treated humanely at all times. Any tortious act or omission on the part of the Detaining Power which results in the death of or seriously endangers the health of a prisoner of war in its custody is prohibited and shall be regarded as a serious violation of the present Convention .”
Whether this ultimately constitutes a war crime remains to be clarified from a legal point of view. The authenticity of the video was also not checked and confirmed by an independent party, insofar as this is finally possible. Russia has also accused the Ukrainian military of war crimes.