Ukraine conflict: President Zelensky condemns beheading video

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called connected satellite leaders to respond aft a video emerged seemingly showing a Ukrainian worker being beheaded by a Russian serviceman.

"Everyone indispensable react. Every leader. Do not hold for this to beryllium forgotten," helium said successful a video address.

Ukraine's SBU information work says it is investigating the "war crime".

The Kremlin said the video was "awful" but its authenticity had to beryllium checked arsenic good arsenic who was down it.

The grainy and highly graphic video appears to person been filmed connected a mobile phone, and perchance during the summertime months. It shows a antheral successful subject azygous wearing a yellowish armband - often worn arsenic identifying symbols by Ukrainian soldiers.

The perpetrator and different men disposable successful the clip person achromatic bands connected their legs, which Russian soldiers are known to deterioration arsenic a means of identification.

They tin besides beryllium heard to talk Russian, though that is not conclusive arsenic galore Ukrainians talk Russian too.

During the abbreviated video, the unfortunate with the yellowish armband is beheaded by a antheral with a ample weapon who is wearing a achromatic set astir his leg.

At 1 point, 1 of the men holds up assemblage armour with a trident people - the authorities awesome of Ukraine - and the remark "Mercenaries!" tin beryllium heard.

The assemblage armour features what looks similar the Punisher awesome (a comic-book character), which successful the Ukraine-Russia warfare has been spotted being worn by fighters connected some sides.

There has been speculation online that the video was filmed adjacent the metropolis of Kreminna successful eastbound Ukraine.

The BBC has been incapable to verify these claims arsenic the video's surrounding features connection excessively fewer ocular clues to place its location, specified arsenic buildings oregon circumstantial scenery points.

It besides remains unclear erstwhile the footage was filmed. It looks arsenic if it's from the existent conflict, wherever achromatic and yellowish armbands person been utilized by opposing sides arsenic identification.

The leaves successful the video are agleam greenish which suggests that it whitethorn person been from precocious outpouring oregon summertime past year.

Some societal media users person suggested it whitethorn person been filmed successful July but we cannot verify this.

The clip began circulating connected Telegram precocious connected Tuesday, aft a fashionable pro-Kremlin blogger shared it to his astir 300,000 followers.

He aboriginal claimed helium was not the archetypal root of the video and that the footage had been connected Telegram earlier helium posted it. We person been incapable to find immoderate earlier versions of this video.

The video has since dispersed to Twitter.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that "in the satellite of fakes that we inhabit, we request to cheque the veracity of this footage".

EU overseas affairs spokeswoman Nabila Massrali reminded Russia it had to abide by humanitarian instrumentality and added that the EU was committed to holding to relationship each perpetrators of warfare crimes committed during the war.

Another video purporting to amusement the aftermath of an alleged beheading has besides been circulating connected societal media successful caller days.

The video shows what appears to beryllium a destroyed subject vehicle. A antheral filming the country says successful Russian that it had driven implicit a mine. At slightest 2 bodies without heads and hands tin beryllium seen lying connected the crushed nearby.

A yellowish armband is disposable connected the close limb of 1 of the bodies, suggesting the victims had been warring connected the Ukrainian side. At slightest 3 different soldiers tin beryllium seen lasting implicit the 2 bodies.

We are continuing to analyse some videos.