Russian soldier shoots civilian near Pokrovsk, video shows; prosecutors launch war crimes probe
A Russian soldier shot and killed a civilian attempting to evacuate from the village of Udachne in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office said on Aug 6.
The agency has opened a war crimes investigation, marking the third recorded case this year of Russian forces killing civilians in Donetsk Oblast.
According to the prosecutors, a video shared on an unnamed Telegram channel shows a civilian walking along the roadside with a suitcase of personal belongings when he was gunned down.
"A Russian Armed Forces serviceman cynically opened fire from an ambush set up in a ruined building and killed the passerby with an automatic weapon," the statement reads.
The man was reportedly trying to leave Udachne, a front-line village located 12 kilometers (7 miles) west of the besieged town of Pokrovsk.
Authorities said the killing has been officially entered into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations under charges related to war crimes resulting in death. Investigators are working to determine all circumstances of the incident and to identify the soldier involved.
Donetsk Oblast has remained one of the most active combat zones since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Civilian evacuations from contested or occupied areas remain extremely dangerous, with Russian forces repeatedly accused of targeting non-combatants.
Ukraine and its international partners have documented numerous cases of alleged war crimes by Russian forces, including unlawful killings, torture, and the targeting of civilian infrastructure.
