Daily Briefing: War in Ukraine Zelensky Vows to Hold Bakhmut Days After Forces Hinted at Retreat

Officials from Ukraine claimed that they are now conducting a war crimes investigation into the video of Russian soldiers brazenly executioning a Ukrainian prisoner-of-war.

The video shows the Ukrainian soldier looking tired and dirty, with his head slightly hunched and a cigarette hanging from his lips. The Ukrainian soldier is not carrying a weapon, but he's standing in what looks like a newly-dug area of dirt in the forest when a voice calls out in Russian: "I'm filming now."

The soldier in the frame snatches the cigarette from his lips and exhales a puff of smoke. The man collapses to the ground as gunfire explodes from at least two directions.

"What glory to Ukraine?" A voice behind the camera shouts in Russian and inserts an expletive. "Die" adds another voice using an expletive.

The New York Times was unable to confirm the origin of the video, or when and where it was filmed. But the 10-second clip rocketed across social media on Monday and was shared by Ukrainian news outlets, drawing swift outrage from officials in Kyiv who said it was the latest clear-cut evidence of Russian war crimes.

According to the Ukrainian military, the video was of Russian forces "executing a Ukrainian prisoner."

Telegram made a brief statement that stated, "This video is another confirmation for war crimes."

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine promised to 'find those murderers'. The country's prosecutor general said that it has opened an investigation into video of the brutal and brazen shooting at an unarmed man'.

The office stated in a statement that even war has laws.

Dmytro Kuleba (Ukraine's foreign minister) called the video "horrific" and asked the International Criminal Court prosecutor to immediately open an investigation.

The Kremlin and Russia's Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to our request.

Since Moscow ordered a full-scale invasion in Ukraine last February, both Russian and Ukrainian forces were accused of war crimes. However, the scale and number of Russian crimes reported far exceeds the allegations against Ukraine.

Ukrainians responded immediately to the chilling video that circulated Monday.

Social media users widely shared the video, as well as renderings of the soldier himself, with words of praise. Some showed him with the word 'hero,' others with angel wings, and more still bearing his defiant words: Slava Ukraini. Glory to Ukraine.

In his nightly address Mr. Zelensky called him brave.

"I want us to all respond to his words together in unity: Glory to the Hero!" Glory to the Heroes Glory to Ukraine! Mr. Zelensky said.

Anatoly Kurmanaev contributed reporting.