Mural of Ukrainian Soldier Executed by Russians Painted on Rivne Police Station

1 年前

A mural depicting a Ukrainian military officer who was shot dead by Russian soldiers in a graphic viral video has been painted on a police station in Rivne, Ukraine’s Patrol Police announced on March 23.

The slain soldier, Oleksandr Matsievsky, became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance after a video circulated on March 6 showing the moment of his death. In that footage, Matsievsky is seen standing next to an open pit in the ground as he says the phrase “Glory to Ukraine” to his Russian captors. They immediately open fire at Matsievsky, who falls into the pit.

President Volodymyr Zelensky posthumously awarded Matsievsky the title of “Hero of Ukraine” on March 12.

Police said local artist Konstantin Kachanovsky was commissioned to produce the mural, which depicts Matsievsky as he is seen in the video before his death alongside a quote: “The time will come when someone will say, ‘Glory to Ukraine,’ and millions will answer ‘Glory to the Heroes’!”

Police attribute the quote to Stepan Bandera, a Ukrainian nationalist leader of the early 20th century, though some historians say the phrase has been widely misattributed and predates Bandera.

According to Ukrainian media, Matsievsky went missing on December 30 during battles near Soledar, Donetsk Oblast. His body was recovered with bullet wounds in early February, and he was buried in his hometown of Nizhyn, Chernihiv Oblast, on February 14, local media reported.

The circumstances of his death were unknown until the emergence of the video, which appears to have been filmed by a Russian soldier. Matsievsky was identified as the soldier in the video by other Ukrainian service-members and members of his family. Credit: Patrol Police of Ukraine via Storyful