In a horrific incident in the Russian-occupied eastern Ukrainian town of Volnovakha, nine people, including two young children, were found shot dead in their own house. The Ukrainian officials believe that Russian soldiers are responsible for this brutal act, as the Kapkanets family refused to hand over their house to the occupiers. The Russian investigators have confirmed the arrest of two male suspects, claiming that they are Russian soldiers from the Far East. Both Ukraine and Russia have initiated separate investigations into this heart-wrenching attack.
The gruesome aftermath of the attack came to light when photos started circulating on social media, displaying blood-splattered bodies lying in beds, some intertwined in a final embrace. Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets has expressed his belief that the Russians are to blame for the Volnovakha killings. He stated, “According to preliminary information, the occupiers have killed the whole of the Kapkanets family, who were celebrating a birthday and who had refused to hand their own house over to occupiers from Chechnya.” The Ukrainian-controlled Donetsk prosecutor’s office has also released preliminary information stating that the attackers, wearing army uniforms, fatally shot the family after their refusal to vacate the house.
The official Investigations Committee of Russia, on the other hand, has described the arrested individuals as Russian soldiers who had signed contracts with the country’s military. They claim that the motive behind the crime was a domestic conflict. However, the victims’ neighbors have spoken out, blaming the Russian military for these brutal killings. One neighbor, speaking to Astra, a Russian news channel on Telegram, confessed, “All of the neighbors are saying that the killers were in the military. We’re all scared.” Another Russian Telegram channel called Baza reported that the household members had a conflict with unidentified men wearing military fatigues without any insignia.
It is important to note that Volnovakha fell into the hands of Russian forces shortly after the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The town has suffered significant destruction as a result of the occupation. The recent tragedy in Volnovakha unfolds amidst the ongoing fierce fighting in Ukraine’s eastern and southern regions. Kyiv launched a counter-offensive in June, aiming to divide the occupying Russian troops in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, making their resupply more challenging. However, the Ukrainian advance has been slow and costly due to the Russians’ prepared defensive lines.
In recent weeks, Moscow has intensified its attacks near Avdiivka in the Donetsk region and Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region. The Ukrainian military claims that all of Russia’s assaults have been unsuccessful, resulting in heavy Russian casualties around Avdiivka, a crucial gateway to the Russian-held regional capital of Donetsk. However, these claims have not been independently verified.
The escalating violence in Ukraine has also drawn attention from the international community. The United States has accused Russia of executing its own retreating soldiers, further adding to the humanitarian crisis caused by the conflict. The situation on the ground remains critical as innocent lives continue to be lost in this brutal war. Both Ukraine and Russia must conduct thorough investigations and bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice, providing some solace to the grieving Kapkanets family and the traumatized residents of Volnovakha.
