Ukraine war: beheading video according to Zelenskyj evidence of Russian brutality

International

Also on the Orthodox holidays Russia his attacks in the Ukraine continued. Rockets have three in the eastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia People killed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has strongly condemned the renewed attacks.

Fighting is raging especially in the east of the country around the strategically important city of Bakhmut. Both sides have so far refused to back down in the longest battle of the war so far.

In our news blog you can read all the important news about developments in the Ukraine war.

12. April

1:52 p.m .: Selenskyj describes the beheading video as evidence of Russian brutality

A video circulating on social media, which is said to show the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier by Russian fighters, has caused international outrage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it evidence of Russia’s brutality on Wednesday. The world must see “how carelessly these beasts kill,” said the Kiev head of state.

The UN mission to monitor human rights in Ukraine also called the pictures “horrific”. In view of the video, the EU Commission has announced that war criminals will be prosecuted. Russia wants to have the video checked for authenticity and has emphasized the possibility of a fake in the person of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The one-minute, 40-second clip shows a man in combat fatigues and with his face masked beheading a man lying on the ground wearing a uniform with the insignia of Ukraine, at the request of a Russian-speaking man behind the camera.

7.23 a.m .: Russia is testing a new type of intercontinental missile

Moscow is flexing its muscles: According to the Defense Ministry, the military successfully tested a “intercontinental ballistic missile of a mobile ground-based missile system” on Tuesday. The Kremlin did not provide any information on the exact type of missile that was fired at the Kapustin Yar test site in the border area between Russia and Kazakhstan.

Internationally, there is concern that such missiles could transport nuclear explosives. Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened the West with this option. At the end of February he then announced the suspension of Russia’s participation in the US-Russian New Start treaty limiting their respective nuclear weapons stockpiles.

Archive image from a previous Russian missile test in October 2022.Bild: Russian Defense Ministry Press S / Uncredited

11. April

10:37 a.m .: According to the report, the United States doubts the success of the Ukrainian offensive

According to the Washington Post, the American government has doubts about the success of the expected Ukrainian spring offensive. According to the newspaper, this emerges from the leaked secret US documents.

According to the report, the original plans to recapture the Russian-occupied territories are in danger of being “far off the mark,” according to American military experts. Kyiv therefore has great difficulties in increasing its troops and in supplying it with ammunition and equipment.

5:02 a.m .: Pentagon sees US leaks as a “very high” security risk

After secret US documents in the Internet were released, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby has expressed concern. The leak represents “a very high risk to national security,” Kirby said on Monday (local time) in Washington.

John Kirby, spokesman for the US National Security Council, warns of false information from the leaked secret service documents.Bild: IMAGO/UPI Photo

According to the “New York Times”, the documents, which have been gradually published on online platforms such as Twitter, Telegram and Discord over the past few days, also contain information on the plans of the USA and NATO in support of a Ukrainian military offensive against Russia in the spring.

According to reports, employees of some US authorities believe that at least parts of the leaked documents are genuine. The South Korean government, in turn, described large parts of it as fake.

According to the newspaper, the documents, which were distributed via pro-Russian channels, include: Details of weapon shipments, battalion strengths and other sensitive information such as training schedules.

Observers fear the information could prove very valuable to Moscow. They would also show how far US secret services have already infiltrated parts of the Russian military apparatus.

The Russian leadership in the Kremlin considers the leaked US secret documents to be “very interesting”.Image: AP / Alexander Zemlianichenko

You can find older news about the war in Ukraine here.

(with material from dpa and AFP)