Revealed: Ukrainian civilian shot dead by Russians in footage that shocked the world was a father who was killed along with his wife as he tried to drive her and his six-year-old son to safety
- The man in the video with his hands up and later killed was Maksim Iovenko
- His wife was also killed, but his six-year-old son and another passenger survived
- The shocking incident took place just 10 miles from Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv
The identity of a Ukrainian civilian who was shot dead in cold blood along with his wife by Russian troops has been revealed.
Drone footage emerged from Ukraine last week appearing to show a group of Russian soldiers executing a lone Ukrainian civilian who was trying to surrender.
According to reports, the man in the video with his hands up was Maksim Iovenko, a family man who was attempting to drive his wife and six-year-old son to safety.
According to reports, the man in the video with his hands up was Maksim Iovenko (above), a family man who was attempting to drive his wife and six-year-old son to safety
His friend, who was also driving in the column, told the BBC: ‘We heard shooting. They started shooting at the column. We all turned back.
‘Later we all stopped and saw that one car was missing. Maksim’s car. In that car, there was Maksim, his wife, their son and my mum.
‘From what [my mum] told me, Maksim was turning back. Maksim got out of the car, raised his hands and started shouting that there were children in the car. And they shot him.’
Maksim and his wife were killed in the incident, however his son survived and the friend’s mother was injured as the Russian soldiers let them go.
Maksim’s father, Sergiy Iovenko, described how he still had ‘some hope’ until he saw the video and couldn’t believe it until he touched his son’s body.
Maksim and his wife (pictured left) were killed in the incident, however his son survived and the friend’s mother was injured as the Russian soldiers let them go
Maksim’s father, Sergiy Iovenko, described how he still had ‘some hope’ until he saw the video and couldn’t believe it until he touched his son’s body
His friend, who was also driving in the column, told the BBC : ‘We heard shooting. They started shooting at the column. We all turned back’
The video, obtained by German broadcaster ZDF and filmed on March 7, shows a silver car driving along the E40 European expressway west of Kyiv.
The car was heading towards Kyiv, but upon seeing a Russian tank and a group of soldiers parked by the side of the road, the driver made a rapid U-turn before braking and coming to a stop.
The man exited the car and immediately raised his hands above his head, turning to face the Russian soldiers in a clear show of surrender.
But within seconds he was gunned down in cold blood.
The car is heading towards Kyiv, but upon seeing a Russian tank and a group of soldiers parked by the side of the road (pictured), the driver makes a rapid U-turn, before braking and coming to a stop
Moments later, a gang of soldiers are seen grabbing the civilian’s lifeless body and dragging him away into the trees nearby.
The drone operator, a member of the Ukrainian territorial defence force in Kyiv, said a woman and child were also travelling in the car and were subsequently taken captive by the Russian forces.
The slaughtering of civilians, particularly those who do not pose a threat, is considered a war crime under international humanitarian law.
Yet Russian authorities continue to insist that their forces have only targeted strategic military locations and are not waging war on the civilian population of Ukraine.
The man exits the car and immediately raises his hands above his head, turning to face the Russian soldiers in a clear show of surrender
Within seconds he is gunned down in cold blood. Moments later, a gang of solders are seen grabbing the civilian’s lifeless body and dragging him away into the trees nearby. A woman and child were also travelling in the car, and were taken captive
The civilian’s execution took place mere yards from another car, which appears to have been abandoned on the road outside a petrol station on the E40 expressway west of Kyiv after sustaining damage.
The silver car was later towed away and burnt according to the Ukrainian drone operator, who gave his name only as ‘Zanoza’ and explained he was tasked with using the Mavic III drone to observe Russian tank positions.
The shocking incident took place outside the petrol station located a mere 10 miles from the towns of Irpin and Bucha.
The execution took place here, outside a petrol station on the E40 expressway west of Kyiv
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