‘It's Hard to Even Think About it’: Ukrainians in Shock Over POW Execution Video, as Kyiv Vows Revenge

Officials in Kyiv have vowed to take revenge against Russia after holding the Kremlin responsible for the shocking killing captured on video of an unarmed Ukrainian POW whose final words were “Glory to Ukraine.”

The dead man’s picture and last words – “Slava Ukraini” in Ukrainian – have become the latest symbol and rallying call of the country’s fierce resistance in the face of Moscow’s ongoing aggression.

The dead man’s picture and last words – “Slava Ukraini” in Ukrainian – have become the latest symbol and rallying call of the country’s fierce resistance in the face of Moscow’s ongoing aggression.

On the streets of the Ukrainian capital on Tuesday, people interviewed by Kyiv Post expressed disgust, shock at the execution, but also a sense of pride of how the soldier acted in the final moments before his murder.

Denys, 24, said he thinks the shooters did it “out of anger” because “they are angry Ukraine is not theirs.”

He added: “This is a cruel video. But it also shows that even in these conditions, in this situation, our people continue to be Ukrainians.”

Leonid, 38, said the video and the soldier’s actions were “a message to all of us.”

“This person will go down in history and be resurrected in textbooks, myths and music,” he said.

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“To show us what kind of soldiers we have – the ones who cannot be forced or humiliated. This soldier showed he is Ukrainian.”

Leonid also said there was a message for the Russians, adding: “It shows them how small and inept they are.”

Yet others Kyiv Post spoke to found it difficult to get beyond the horrific murder itself in order to draw a more positive meaning. Victoria, 63, simply described it as “barbaric,” adding: “It’s very hard to even think about it.”

And 37-year-old Maria, said: “I felt fear. I was sad. I did not really see the heroism of the Ukrainian soldier in this. I saw hopelessness.”

As for the man in the video, the Ukrainian military on Tuesday afternoon and citing initial findings, said: “The deceased is a serviceman of the 30th separate mechanised brigade – Tymofiy Mykolayovych Shadura.”

Shadura has been missing since Feb. 3 amid fighting near the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut and his identity will be confirmed when his remains are returned, the military added.

Brigade spokesman Anatoliy Yavorsky said Shadura hailed from the western region of Zhytomyr and was mobilised in December. Kyiv has said his remains were still in territory held by Russian forces.

The Ukrainian military added that revenge for “our hero’s killing” would be “inevitable.”

But there was still some uncertainty over his identity. Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov, identified the deceased man as 42-year-old Oleksandr Matsiyevsky from the northern city of Nizhyn.

Butusov posted a picture on Facebook of Matsiyevsky, who bore a resemblance to the Ukrainian soldier from the viral video.

The prominent reporter said Matsiyevsky, who had a 19-year-old son, went to the front voluntarily. He was buried in Nizhyn last month, he added, but his claim has not been independently verified.

Kyiv has appealed to the International Criminal Court to investigate the “horrific” video and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the footage was “yet more evidence that this war is genocidal.”

He said it was “imperative” that International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan launch “an immediate ICC investigation into this heinous war crime.”

In Kyiv on Tuesday afternoon, 41-year-old Roman, told Kyiv Post: “I felt anger and hatred for the rushists (sic).

“Those who did this should be convicted because we are a civilised country governed by the rule of law.”