The Russian Federation has circulated a video showing the alleged remains of dead Ukrainian servicemen, Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian parliament's commissioner for human rights, said on Facebook on 28 August.
"Through their propagandists, the Russians continue to dehumanize the Ukrainian people, justifying the mass murder of civilians and the destruction of settlements. Thus, the demonstration of the 'remains' of the dead defenders of Mariupol became an occasion for a 'standup on military topics'. The only purpose of such actions by Russia is to cause more pain to relatives of the dead and missing," he said.
Lubinets pointed out that the bodies of the dead deserve to be treated with respect, regardless of whether they are military or civilian.
"The remains of the unknown must be identified. Respect for the dead is not just about humanism and caring for the loved ones of the dead. These are international standards whose implementation ensures that the dead do not join the list of the missing," the ombudsman added.
He said that he had already informed Ole Solvang, head of the fact-finding team of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, about the publication and planned to address the Office of the Prosecutor-General.
Russian propagandist Igor Mangushev recorded a video in which he holds a skull in his hands. During his speech, he said that it was allegedly the skull of one of Azovstal's defenders.
Also, an adviser to Mariupol mayor, Petro Andryushchenko, mentioned "restrained optimism" about the occupiers' refusal to hold a "trial" of Ukrainian prisoners of war in Mariupol.