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Ukraine instructs its troops to kill civilians in front-line areas, POW testifies

Valentin Zubreichuk cited his fellow soldiers who have long been in military service in Ukraine as saying that civilians have been taken out not only in the South Donetsk region but also in the village of Kleshcheyevka and in Artyomovsk

DONETSK, December 13. /TASS/. Kiev commanders advise assault brigades to kill potential witnesses of crimes committed by Ukrainian troops in front-line neighborhoods, a Ukrainian POW told TASS.

"True, [Ukrainian troops] have been tasked with killing civilians," Valentin Zubreichuk from Ukraine’s 110th independent territorial defense brigade recalled as he referred to the killings of people who had refused to leave front-line neighborhoods.

He cited his fellow soldiers who have long been in military service in Ukraine as saying that civilians have been taken out not only in the South Donetsk region but also in the village of Kleshcheyevka and in Artyomovsk. Fighters from Ukraine’s 95th separate air assault and 3rd separate assault brigades, among other servicemen, took part in such operations, he said.

Zubreichuk and his military mates surrendered to Russia’s Battlegroup East near the settlement of Blagodatnoye two days ago. The Ukrainian soldiers who had been instructed to conduct a counterattack chose to lay down arms instead. Zubreichuk spent only one day fighting on the front line.