Czech President Petr Pavel has reacted with horror to reports of a video allegedly showing the beheading of a Ukrainian prisoner of war by Russian soldiers. “If this video turns out to be authentic, then Russian soldiers have lined up with the Islamic State, which we all around the world should condemn,” the off-duty general said in Prague today.
Pavel noted that there are numerous well-documented cases of brutal actions by Russian forces in Ukraine. Such behavior does not belong in the 21st century. The 61-year-old, who was once his country’s chief of staff, headed the NATO military committee from 2015 to 2018. Pavel made his statement after a meeting of the National Security Council, which he was attending for the first time as President. The Kremlin in Moscow questioned the authenticity of the video.
