A shocking video has been circulating on social media since last Tuesday. It shows the beheading of a suspected Ukrainian soldier by Russian men. Is this 1mn30 long video authentic? Why did the Kremlin open an investigation so quickly? Can it represent a turning point in the conflict? La Dépêche looked into the gray areas of this controversy.
Since Tuesday April 11, a shocking video showing an alleged Ukrainian soldier being beheaded by what appears to be Russian soldiers has been circulating on social networks. Is the video authenticated? Is this a turning point in the war between Russia and Ukraine? The Midi Dispatch explored the questions raised by this sequence.
Is the video authentic?
For the moment, no body is able to verify the authenticity of the video. The EU mission in Ukraine is calling for an investigation into this clip, to determine exactly where and when it was filmed.
This Thursday, April 13 in Russia, the prosecution claimed to have begun the examination of the said video. The prosecutor’s office indicated on its Telegram channel the opening of the investigation “in order to determine the authenticity of this content and to draw the necessary (judicial) conclusions, (the video) has been transmitted to the organs of investigation for examination”.
Is the video recent?
In its press release, the Kremlin would assume that the video would have been shot during the summer, due to the vegetation present in the video. The prosecution would therefore imply that it is not recent, and could date from 2022, before winter.
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Beheading of a soldier in Ukraine: the Russian prosecutor’s office, which is examining the video, believes that it could have been shot in the summer of 2022
Could it be a Ukrainian propaganda video?
From the moment the video is not authenticated, all scenarios are possible. Carole Grimaud, professor of geopolitics of Russia, interviewed by La Dépêche, specifies on this subject: “The quantity of false information or videos present on social networks is impressive. It must be taken with tweezers.”
Could the Wagner group be behind this video?
Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, the Wagner group – an extremist Russian paramilitary militia – has focused the attention of many observers through accusations of barbaric acts. This group, which officiates in particular at the moment in the city of Bakhmout in Ukraine, had already been placed in February on a list of EU sanctions for violation of human rights.
This Wednesday, April 12, a Russian NGO and a deserter from the group said that the executioners of the beheaded Ukrainian soldier would be members of the famous militia. The next day, Wagner frontman Yevgeny Prigojine denied any involvement of his band in the controversial video. But it’s hard to believe the military leader at his word: “The number of radicals in the ranks of Wagner is high, opposes Carole Grimaud. is not authenticated, all scenarios are possible.”
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Beheading of a soldier in Ukraine: men of the Wagner group among the executioners?
Why is the Kremlin opening an investigation?
Accusations of war crimes against Russia have multiplied since February 2022 regarding the attitude of its troops in Ukraine. The custom of the Russian government is to always deny these accusations. Carole Grimaud sees two possibilities on the cause of the opening of such a rapid investigation regarding the beheading video: “A few days ago, I would have thought it was because the Russian government was embarrassed of the situation. For the Kremlin, it is seen as an act of terrorism, but also as a religious act. Several paramilitary groups claim a holy war, in particular the Kadyrovites – armed wing of the head of the Chechen republic Ramzan Kadirov – Russia’s ally since the start of the clash in Ukraine. Russia has been fighting religious extremism for a long time, so seeing radicals waging war is not good for them.”
Then the professor continues on what seems to be the most probable hypothesis: “An investigation opened so quickly, that means that the Kremlin must perhaps manage an internal conflict. Wagner arranges and disturbs the Russian government, and he The same goes for their leader, Prigojine, he has political dreams, he wants to start his own party, he has great influence despite the group’s many controversies, such as Wagner’s hammer sent to the European Parliament. kill two birds with one stone’ for the Kremlin: either the video is false, and will serve as an argument for Russia in the war in Ukraine, or the video is true, and in this case the Wagner group would lose power .”
Is this video a turning point in this war?
According to Carole Grimaud, the answer is no. “As for Boutcha, it won’t change anything about the progress of the war. Russia is a little more alone every day. But it was already that way before. It’s not this video that will change the situation. Despite everything, this is one of the first times we can hear Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, reacting to this kind of event, calling the images horrible.