Ukrainian POW forced into Russian propaganda video sparks burial dispute in his home village
Volodymyr Srebrodolskyy, a Ukrainian soldier captured on the eastern front, was compelled to appear in a Russian propaganda video and later died in captivity, prompting heated arguments over his burial in Karpylivka.
Captured while fighting on Ukraine’s eastern front, Volodymyr Srebrodolskyy was made to record a propaganda segment in which he expressed a desire not to return to Ukraine. The clip was posted on Telegram and later broadcast on Russian outlets. Weeks after the video’s release, Srebrodolskyy died while held by Russian forces.
When his body was prepared for burial, some residents of his native Karpylivka threatened violence against the mayor if he permitted a burial in the village cemetery, whereas others defended his right to be laid to rest near his family. The incident has intensified local divisions and highlights the wider use of forced POW testimonies, a practice denounced by Human Rights Watch and the United Nations as breaching international law. Thousands of such videos have been disseminated, aiming to undermine Ukrainian morale and sow distrust in the armed forces.
Why it matters
The case shows how forced POW propaganda fuels community conflict and breaches international humanitarian law.
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