Ukraine Military Identifies Soldier Seen in Grisly War Video

06 March 2023, Ukraine, Dmytrivka: Destroyed military armored vehicles of the Russian army are seen at Dmytrivka village near the Ukrainian capital Kyev. (dpa)
06 March 2023, Ukraine, Dmytrivka: Destroyed military armored vehicles of the Russian army are seen at Dmytrivka village near the Ukrainian capital Kyev. (dpa)
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Ukraine Military Identifies Soldier Seen in Grisly War Video

06 March 2023, Ukraine, Dmytrivka: Destroyed military armored vehicles of the Russian army are seen at Dmytrivka village near the Ukrainian capital Kyev. (dpa)
06 March 2023, Ukraine, Dmytrivka: Destroyed military armored vehicles of the Russian army are seen at Dmytrivka village near the Ukrainian capital Kyev. (dpa)

Ukraine's military on Tuesday tentatively identified as one of its missing soldiers a man who appeared to be shot dead by Russian-speakers in a short video that circulated widely on Ukrainian social media and caused an uproar.

The country's chief prosecutor announced a criminal investigation into the killing, and human rights chief Dmytro Lubinets argued that it was a violation of the Geneva Conventions.

Senior Ukrainian officials alleged, without providing further evidence, that the man was an unarmed prisoner of war killed by Russian soldiers.

The 30th Mechanized Brigade on its Facebook page named the man as Tymofii Shadura. The identification is based on preliminary information and is not final, it said.

Shadura has been missing for just over a month amid bitter fighting in the Bakhmut area of eastern Ukraine, the post said. The city has been a combat hot spot as the war extends into its second year.

His identity is to be confirmed once the body is returned from a Russian-occupied area, the post added, though it did not say when that might happen.

The Ukrainian military's general staff gave the same name for the dead soldier, saying it was "according to preliminary information."

In the 12-second video, the man in combat fatigues is seen in a wooded area smoking a cigarette.

Someone off-camera is heard speaking in Russian. The man then says "Glory to Ukraine" and is hit by a volley of gunshots, falling into a hole in the ground, with an off-camera voice saying "Die," followed by an expletive.

The Associated Press could not verify the video’s authenticity nor any details about when it was recorded or the people involved.

Questions sent by the AP to the Russian military about the clip did not immediately receive a reply.

The video circulated widely on social media in Ukraine and unleashed an outcry.

In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: "I want us all together, in unity, to respond to (the soldier’s) words: "Glory to the hero! Glory to heroes! Glory to Ukraine!" And we will find the killers."

Moscow also has expressed suspicion about the treatment of Russian prisoners of war by Ukrainian forces.

Last November, Ukraine said it would open an investigation into video footage that circulated on Russian social media, which Moscow alleged shows Ukrainian soldiers killing Russian troops who may have been trying to surrender after one of the men seemingly refused to lay down his weapon and opened fire.



Fresh Term for Türkiye's Erdogan ‘On Our Agenda’, Ruling Party Spokesman Says

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a plenary session at the European Political Community (EPC) Summit in Budapest, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP)
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a plenary session at the European Political Community (EPC) Summit in Budapest, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP)
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Fresh Term for Türkiye's Erdogan ‘On Our Agenda’, Ruling Party Spokesman Says

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a plenary session at the European Political Community (EPC) Summit in Budapest, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP)
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a plenary session at the European Political Community (EPC) Summit in Budapest, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP)

Paving the way for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to run for a fourth term in office is "on our agenda", the spokesman for the president's ruling party said on Monday, adding that the important factor was whether the people wanted it.

Erdogan, modern Türkiye's longest-serving leader, has been in power for more than two decades, first as a premier and later as president. Under Türkiye's presidential term limits, he is in his final term of office unless there is a constitutional amendment or parliament calls an early election.

He was first elected president in 2014 under a parliamentary system, and was later re-elected in 2018 and 2023 following some constitutional amendments by his ruling AK Party (AKP) and their nationalist MHP allies to impose an executive presidency.

Asked by reporters about an exchange between a singer and Erdogan at the weekend in which Erdogan responded to a question about running for a new term by saying: "I am in if you are", AKP spokesman Omer Celik said the AKP was pleased that the issue had been brought on the agenda.

"As those of us who march with our President, it is on our agenda," he said at a press conference in Ankara. "We will see about a formula. In politics, one year is a very short time, one day is very long. What is important is that our people want it," he added.

"When we look at events transpiring around us, it is visible at every opportunity how important our president's knowledge and political will is for our country," he added. In November, MHP leader Devlet Bahceli floated the idea of a constitutional amendment to allow the president to run again in elections set for 2028.

A constitutional change can be put to a referendum if 360 lawmakers in the 600-seat parliament back it. An early election also needs the support of 360 MPs.

AKP and its allies have 321 seats.