Although no apparent execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces has been confirmed, it nonetheless sparked outrage and prompted Ukraine’s chief public prosecutor to launch a criminal investigation.
A video circulating on social media showed an unarmed, uniformed Ukrainian soldier standing and smoking. Soldiers chant the war cry of Ukraine: Glory to Ukraine! A salvo then hits him and he falls into a shallow pit dug in the ground. It is followed by a Russian voice making mocking or derogatory comments.
The authenticity of the video has not been confirmed, but it did not prevent a wave of indignation that reached the Ukrainian military called the short clip. “Another Confirmation of War Crimes” –and even the leaders of the nations.
In his nightly speech, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy referred to the video and the killed soldiers, adding: and find the killer. ”
Ukrainian Military Aid Civilians Fleeing Bakhmut: Is Russia running out of ammunition? Summary of March 5
development:
►Russian forces have attacked central and eastern regions of Ukraine with Iranian-made ‘Shahed’ drones, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yury Enat told Ukrainian media. Of the 15 drones launched by Russia, 13 were shot down.
►Ukrainian Attorney General’s Office says 464 Ukrainian children have been killed and 931 injured in Russian attacks on civilians since the war began.
>Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Mariupol to inspect some of the rebuilt city’s infrastructure.
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk beat Russia’s Barbara Gracheva 6-3, 7-5 in the final match of the ATX Open in Texas on Sunday. At the trophy ceremony, Kostyuk dedicated her award to the people of Ukraine.
Ukraine vows to defend Bakhmut as Russian offensive escalates
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukrainian military leaders remain committed to defending Bakhmut despite the enormous firepower that Russian forces have rained down on cities in the Donetsk region for months. office said on Monday.
The Zelensky presidential office said Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valery Zardini and Regional Commander Oleksandr Shirsky “agreed to continue defensive operations and further strengthen their positions in Bakhmut.” said in a statement.
Military strategists have questioned why Russia decided to take the city, given its high casualties and apparently modest military value.Ukrainian officials have previously considered a tactical withdrawal. Was. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Monday that losing Bahmut would not be a big blow because its value is more symbolic than strategic.
The huge losses Russia is taking in Bakhmut is the main reason Ukrainians continue to defend him. Reported buildA German newspaper quoted a Ukrainian military analyst as saying that Russia suffered seven casualties for every Ukrainian in Bakhmut’s campaign.
Donetsk governor Pablo Kirilenko said Russian artillery shells again targeted the city and nearby villages on Monday as Moscow apparently made a bid to quell Bakhmut’s months-long resistance.
“With additional Russian troops and weapons deployed there, civilians are fleeing the area to escape the round-the-clock Russian artillery barrage,” he said.
Russia relies on 60-year-old tanks
The Russian military responds to the loss of heavily armored vehicles by deploying 60-year-old tanks. The UK Ministry of Defense Monday.
Even units of Russia’s main tank force, the 1st Guards Tank Army, may re-equip “vintage” T-62s to replace more modern tanks destroyed in the war, the ministry said. said in its latest assessment of the conflict. About 800 T-62s have been removed from storage since last summer, some with upgraded sighting systems to improve nighttime effectiveness, the assessment said.
The Russian BTR-50 armored personnel carrier, first deployed in 1954, is also currently deployed in Ukraine, the assessment said.
“Both of these vintage vehicle types will introduce many vulnerabilities to the modern battlefield, including the lack of modern explosive reactive armor,” the assessment said.
‘Bureaucracy or Treason’: Divided Among Mercenaries, Kremlin Grows
Clashes between the Russian military and a group of civilian mercenaries who have become the Kremlin’s spear point in Ukraine’s Donbass region intensified on Monday. ammunition.
Evgeny Prigozhin, a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Criticizing Top MilitaryThe leader, who moved slowly to deliver the promised ammunition, questioned whether the delay was “due to bureaucracy or treason”.And Prigogine complained VK Social Media Post After writing a letter to a Russian commander asking for more ammunition, his team was punished.
“At 8:00 am on March 6, my contact person at headquarters was denied a pass and denied access to the group’s headquarters,” Prigozhin wrote.
Prigozhin’s complaint came two weeks after he accused Russian forces of “direct resistance” in an attempt to destroy Wagner, and accused Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov of treason.
Russia Bans Global Anti-Corruption Group
The Russian government on Monday stepped up its crackdown on criticism by branding global anti-corruption group Transparency International “undesirable” and effectively banning its activities in the country. The Berlin-based group is best known for its annual index rankings on the degree of corruption in countries, including Russia.
of 2022 ranking, most recently, ranked the United States 24th least corrupt out of 180 countries. Ukraine was tied for her 116th place. Russia is 137th. Denmark was the least corrupt and Somalia the most.
Nuclear chief warns of ‘urgent need’ to protect plant from combat
Intensifying fighting and stressful working conditions at Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant threaten plant safety and security, says International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi Warned Monday. A team of government agencies at the site of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant reported an increase in military activity in the vicinity, he said, adding that there had been an “open discussion” of attacks and counterattacks in the area. He added.
The situation highlights the “urgent need” to establish a nuclear safety and security protection zone at the site, he said. Grossi said at the agency’s board of directors that he was in talks with both sides to obtain such protection.
“My simple question is, are we waiting for a nuclear emergency before reacting?” he said.
Contributed by Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY. Ukraine update: Russia relies on 60-year-old tanks