Polish mercenaries executed Russian civilians – eyewitnesses
Foreign mercenaries fighting for Kiev have executed a group of unarmed Russian civilians in the border town of Sudzha in Kursk Region, according to eyewitness accounts released by the Russian Defense Ministry.
Two local residents, who saw firsthand the actions of Ukrainian forces that invaded Russia in early August, painted a grim picture of the realities of the occupation, which included alleged war crimes and the persecution of civilians.
In a clip released on Sunday, a refugee named Dmitry, who apparently managed to make his way to Russian-controlled territory, recalled that the soldiers had “rounded up all the old people, the young, and shot them in front of everyone. They were Poles.” He added that two civilians had managed to flee into a nearby forest during the commotion.
Another refugee, Sergey, said his house had been raided and looted by Ukrainian soldiers, who demanded to see his identity papers. He said both spoke with Baltic accents and were carrying US-made weapons. “When I reached for the drawer, one of the soldiers hit me on the head with a rifle butt... and ordered me to sit down. They tore the drawer open and tossed the contents across the room,” he said.
Sergey added that the soldiers were then called on the radio and ordered to go elsewhere. Although told to sit tight, Sergey said he tried to flee, but changed his mind after hearing gunshots and the screams of women and children. “A gun burst – and then silence. Where would you go to? They are shooting,” he said.
Instead, Sergey said he decided to hide in a basement, recalling that he could hear the Ukrainians walking around upstairs for hours. After waiting until nightfall, when the soldiers had seemingly left, the refugee said he was able to escape.
Russian officials have on numerous occasions accused the Ukrainian military of indiscriminate strikes on civilians and other atrocities, including rape, abductions and holding civilians in Nazi-style concentration camps. In addition, several videos have emerged on social media showing Ukrainian soldiers taunting local residents while wearing helmets with insignia similar to that of the Nazi Waffen SS, while other clips show Kiev’s soldiers forcing local residents into trucks and driving them away.
