UPDATE 1-Russia's defence ministry says Ukraine executed Russian POWs

The defence ministry said the video showed "the deliberate and methodical murder of more than ten immobilised Russian serviceman by degenerate Ukrainian soldiers with direct shots to the head." The defence ministry said the video was a sign of the "atrocious nature" of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his "regime" in Kyiv, and said he would "answer before the court of history, the people of Russia and Ukraine." There was no immediate response from Kyiv to Moscow's claims.

Russia's defence ministry said on Friday that Ukraine had executed more than 10 Russian prisoners of war with direct shots to the head.

The defence ministry was responding to a video circulated on Russian social media which it said showed the execution of Russian prisoners of war. Reuters was unable to immediately verify either the video or the defence ministry's claim. The defence ministry said the video showed "the deliberate and methodical murder of more than ten immobilised Russian serviceman by degenerate Ukrainian soldiers with direct shots to the head."

The defence ministry said the video was a sign of the "atrocious nature" of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his "regime" in Kyiv, and said he would "answer before the court of history, the people of Russia and Ukraine." There was no immediate response from Kyiv to Moscow's claims. Ukraine has previously said its service personnel have been tortured while in Russian captivity. Moscow denies those claims.