The U.S. has credible evidence Russia executed Ukrainians who tried to surrender in the Donetsk region, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Beth Van Schaack said at a United Nations (U.N.) meeting on Wednesday.
“We now have credible information that a Russian military unit operating in the vicinity of Donetsk executed Ukrainians who were attempting to surrender, rather than take them into custody,” she said at the U.N. Security Council meeting focused on accountability in Ukraine.
“If true, this would be in violation of a core principle of the law of war: the prohibition against the summary execution of civilians and of combatants who are hors de combat by virtue of surrender, injury or other forms of incapacitation,” she added.
Source: The Hill
In addition, CNN reports:
Russia will respond harshly to strikes by Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian territory, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said during a press briefing on Thursday.
“Such criminal activity by the Armed Forces of Ukraine against Russian territory cannot go unanswered,” Zakharova said. “I would like Kyiv and Western capitals to take seriously the statements of the Ministry of Defense of our country, that further provocation of Ukraine to strike at Russian targets will necessarily lead to a harsh response from Russia.”
“We do not recommend further testing our patience. Russia is determined to achieve the set goals of the special military operation,” Zakharova added.