THE heartbroken mum of a Ukrainian prisoner killed by Russian troops after declaring “glory to Ukraine” insists Vladimir Putin must be tried for conflict crimes towards her son.
Harrowing footage confirmed unarmed Oleksandr Matsievskyi, 42, being riddled with machine gun bullets after taking a last drag of his cigarette.
Oleksandr Matsievskyi was shot lifeless moments after saying ‘glory to Ukraine’[/caption]
The 42-year-old was captured by Russians on December 30[/caption]
His mum Paraska Demchuck pictured receiving her son’s Hero of Ukraine medal from President Zelensky[/caption]
Moments earlier than he was shot lifeless by Russian troopers, Matsievskyi pronounced “Slava Ukraini”, which interprets to “glory to Ukraine”.
Oleksandr’s devasted mom Paraska Demchuck, 67, advised how she watched the footage – solely to then realise the courageous soldier was her son.
Paraska, from Nizhyn in northern Ukraine, advised how she cried out in shock after seeing the final moments of her solely son.
She advised The Solar: “I used to be advised in January that Oleksandr was lacking.
“All I had been advised was that there had been a struggle with Russians and he had disappeared.
“His physique was returned in early February as a part of an alternate of the fallen troopers at that was the primary I knew of his dying.
“After which, as if from heaven, that video turned up. And I cried out ‘Sasha, Sasha’ – my title for him.
“All the things happened like an epiphany – I wished to understand how my son died, after which I noticed it.”
Oleksandr and 4 colleagues engaged in fight with a bigger Russian contingent close to Soledar when he was captured on December 30.
He was filmed standing tall in a shallow trench, smoking, earlier than being shot a number of instances.
The cold-blooded taking pictures of Oleksandr, an electrician by commerce, is now the topic of a conflict crimes investigation.
Paraska added: “Once I noticed his look within the video, I realised there was nothing he may do. He understood this was the tip.
“We as soon as made an settlement that if he was wounded and was bleeding to dying, he would name me and inform me thrice: ‘Sure, sure, sure!’
“However within the video he stated, ‘Glory to Ukraine!’ And God gave me the chance to listen to these phrases.”
Oleksandr, described as a hard-working, principled and protracted by his mom, signed as much as struggle as quickly because the conflict began.
She stated: “Sasha stated he couldn’t sit again.
“His grandfather defended his homeland throughout World Struggle Two. So he went to conflict with out hesitation.
“The final time I spoke with him was on December 29 – he known as me and stated I ought to decide up a package deal with a brand new uniform he had been given.
“He by no means received to put on it.”
President Zelensky posthumously bestowed the Hero of Ukraine medal upon the sniper and handed Paraska her son’s Hero of Ukraine award in a ceremony in Kyiv.
He described Oleksandr in a nightly deal with as “’a person whom all Ukrainians will know. A person who might be remembered without end.”
‘PUTIN SHOULD FACE JUSTICE’
In Oleksandr’s hometown, Nizhyn, a plan is underway to call one of many streets after him. Additionally they need to erect a monument to the courageous soldier.
Paraska at present welcomed the arrest warrant slapped on Putin for alleged conflict crimes – and stated her son’s dying must be added to the record.
The Worldwide Prison Court docket has accused the Russian tyrant of the “illegal deportation” of kids from Ukraine – a conflict crime below the Geneva Conference.
However Paraska hopes that Putin will at some point be known as to face justice over her son’s homicide.
She stated: “My son has turn into a logo of the indomitability of the Ukrainian individuals and for that I’m extraordinarily proud.
“We hope and consider that at some point he’ll bear duty for all of the conflict crimes dedicated, together with the homicide of Oleksandr.
“He’s a conflict felony and he ought to face justice.”
An investigation by The Solar into Ukraine’s lacking kids again in September revealed that 1000’s of kids have been deported throughout Putin’s invasion.
Ukraine’s human rights chief, Dmytro Lubinets, has stated 16,226 kids have been deported and the nation has managed to convey again simply 308 of them.
The Hague-based courtroom has now stated “there are affordable grounds to consider that Mr Putin bears particular person felony duty” for the crimes.
Ukraine hailed the arrest warrant as an “historic resolution”.
Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations of atrocities throughout its disastrous one-year invasion of Ukraine.
Regardless of the warrant, Putin at present broke cowl as he was noticed in Crimea.
The Russian President made an look within the disputed Ukrainian territory of Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Putin’s forces in 2014.
Within the brief clip revealed on the Russian social media community VK, Putin, 70, could be seen strolling stiffly along with his head bowed.
He was proven opening an artwork college and a kids’s centre within the port metropolis of Sevastopol.
Paraska, 67, laying flowers at her son’s grave[/caption]