Ukraine has confirmed the identity of the soldier shot at point-blank range by Russian troops

The bone Security Services of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed this Sunday the identity of the soldier who appears in a video that has gone viral, and in which we see him executed in cold blood, after various official sources revealed different names.

“SBU investigators verified that the Ukrainian soldier who was executed … was the sniper of the 163rd battalion of the 119th territorial defense brigade of the Chernihiv region, Oleksander Igorovich Matsievskythe researchers said in a statement.

The 12-second video shows a man in military uniform, unarmed and smoking. Another man, off camera, said in Russian, apparently addressing a comrade: “Film it”.

“Glory to Ukraine!”, replies the Ukrainian and dies immediately from the bursts of fire. The man behind the camera then says: “Die, bastard.”

The SBU announcement comes days after various official Ukrainian military sources gave different identities, including that of Oleksander Matsievski, causing confusion.

According to the regional department of the “North” section of the Ukrainian armed forces, Oleksander Matsievski, “born on May 10, 1980 in Moldova”, he was seized by the russians while he was with four other ukrainian soldiers in the eastern region of Donetsk.

In recent days, the mother of the deceased spoke in a television report, where she confirmed her identity.

SBU investigators say they are certain of the identity of Oleksander Matsievski “after investigation”, interviews with “close collaborators of the deceased”, as well as “analysis of photos and videos” and “conclusions of a medical examination -legal”.

In his daily address, the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenskypraised this Sunday evening “the courage” of this soldier.

“Today I awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine to Oleksander Matsievski, a soldier, a person whom all Ukrainians will know well. To a person who we will always remember, “said the head of the State in a solemn tone.

“Appalling video of an unarmed Ukrainian prisoner of war being executed by Russian forces simply for saying ‘Glory to Ukraine.’ , Dmytro Kuleba.

“It is imperative that (Prosecutor) Karim Khan launch an immediate investigation by the International Criminal Court into this heinous war crime. The perpetrators must face justice,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Ukraine is seeking to create a special tribunal to try Russian leaders.

The ICC has launched its own investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukrainethanks to the fact that Kyiv has accepted its jurisdiction, although neither Ukraine nor Russia are members of the court, created in 2002.

Under an amendment to the Rome Statute, which determines how the court operates, it has been able to prosecute the crime of aggression since 2018, but not in the case of non-member countries, such as Russia.

For its part, the European Commission plans to set up the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crimes of Aggression (ICPA), which aims to preserve evidence and prepare its analysis for a possible trial of Russian aggression. against Ukraine, for next summer., while judicial coordination with the United States is expanded.

With information from AFP

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