A Russian soldier who committed a war crime in Kyiv, Ukraine, last March was identified by CNN television reports.
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A few months ago, the American network broadcast exclusive footage of two Russian soldiers coldly shooting unarmed civilians, firing 12 shells at them in the back. The footage was obtained by CNN using surveillance cameras located near the murders.
One of the victims was a 68-year-old man, Leonid Oleksievich Plyats, who worked on the premises.
The prosecutor’s office in Buka, in the Kyiv region, says exclusive CNN reports helped identify Russian soldier Nikolai Sergeevich Sokovikov.
Russia was informed by the latter of charges of war crimes and premeditated murder against the soldier. The Russian Defense Ministry declined a request for an interview with CNN.
Facial recognition technology may also have played a role in identifying Nikolai Sergeevich Sokovikov, according to the US network. A preliminary investigation is underway.
