A disturbing video is making waves online. It shows Ukrainian soldiers wearing helmets that look like those from Nazi Germany, taunting an elderly Russian man in the Kursk Region of Russia. This area has recently seen fighting as Ukraine has been advancing across the border.
The video, which seems to have been recorded by the soldiers themselves, was first shared on social media on August 15. The footage appears to have been taken a few days earlier, possibly on August 11, in the village of Zaoleshenka.
In the video, Ukrainian soldiers are seen filming a road sign pointing to Belgorod and Korenevo, both locations in Kursk Region. The camera then moves to show a camouflaged SUV with a machine gun and a soldier wearing a helmet similar to those worn by the SS, the notorious Nazi unit known for its brutal acts during World War II.
The video also shows some destroyed military equipment before focusing on an elderly man. The soldiers call him “Russian Ivan” and start insulting him in German, saying things like “all Russians are pigs” and telling him to “drink vodka.” The man, who identifies himself as 74 years old, says he has been lost for five days.
The elderly man, identified as Alexander Gusarov, has not been heard from since August 6. His family fears the worst, suspecting he may have been killed.
The SHOT Telegram channel claims that the soldier wearing the Nazi helmet has been identified as Vasyl Danilyuk, a 38-year-old from Horodenka in Ukraine.
In response to the video, Russian politician Leonid Slutsky has offered a reward of five million rubles (about $56,000) for the capture of the soldiers involved. He criticized those who doubt the presence of Nazi influences among Ukrainian troops and urged them to reconsider their views.
Ukraine began its attack on Russia’s Kursk Region on August 6. The Russian Defense Ministry reports that while Ukrainian troops have been pushed back, they still control several areas. Since the conflict began, Ukraine has reportedly lost around 2,640 soldiers and a significant amount of military equipment, including 37 tanks and 32 armored personnel carriers.
