The relevant surveillance video was posted by CNN, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“Both civilians died after the heartless shooting that goes against the so-called rules of war that outlaw the targeting of civilians,” the report states.
CNN has identified the victims. One was the owner of the vehicle dealership that was looted, whose family does not want to be named. The other was Leonid Plyats, a 68-year-old grandfather who worked as a guard there.
The video depicts two civilians talking to Russian soldiers, who attempted to break into the businesses. Several minutes later, the civilians began to walk back to their guard post, but the soldiers came up behind the men and opened fire.
The images from security cameras capture the initial Russian attempt to take Kyiv in March 2022. On the main road to the capital, the fighting was fierce as Ukrainian forces battled Russian troops and tankers to stop the advance.
“But what happened outside the car dealership on March 16 was not a battle between soldiers or even soldiers and armed civilians. […] It was a cowardly, cold-blooded killing of two unarmed men,” CNN noted.
After shooting, five Russian soldiers broke in and began to ransack the businesses. Plyats was still alive. The video shows him struggle to his feet, tie what looks like a tourniquet around his thigh and hobble back to his guard post. There, he gets a phone to call for help. That call went to his compatriots, more Ukrainian citizens who stayed to defend their neighborhoods.
The Ukrainian volunteer fighters tried to rescue Plyats, exchanging fire with Russian forces as they struggled to reach him. But, the man died outside the guard shack.
The case is now being investigated as a war crime by Ukrainian prosecutors.
A reminder that some parts of Kyiv Region, Chernihiv Region and Sumy Region had been under Russian occupation for more than a month. In early April 2022, these areas were liberated from Russian invaders.
