Russian Soldier Executes Unarmed Elderly Ukrainian, Prosecutors Launch Investigation

The Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into the killing of a civilian man by a Russian serviceman in the settlement of Novoeconomichne, Pokrovsk district.

According to the investigation, on August 28, 2025, a Russian infantry soldier hid behind a garage on private property in the settlement. When he saw a elderly civilian man in the yard, he fired a targeted shot with an automatic weapon, killing him on the spot.

The incident was documented on video by fighters of the National Guard’s 1st Azov Corps and later appeared on social media channels. The footage shows a person in civilian clothing fatally struck during the shooting.

The Prosecutor’s Office stated that the case has been entered into the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations under Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which covers violations of the laws and customs of war resulting in death.

At present, urgent investigative measures are underway to establish the identity of the deceased and the Russian serviceman responsible for the shooting.

Earlier, surveillance footage published by Radio Liberty on August 6 confirmed the execution of 70-year-old Volodymyr Rubailo by Russian troops in Bucha on March 4, 2022.

The video shows soldiers shooting the unarmed man near a supermarket and later looting the store. Investigators linked the killing to Russia’s 234th Air Assault Regiment. Despite mounting evidence, Moscow continues to deny responsibility for war crimes committed during the occupation.

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