"Son, go hide behind the car" Ukrainian father killed in Russian shooting... "Please don't die" son sobbing

Russian Military Claims "No Sniping of Civilians"
RFE/RL Confirms "No Ukrainian Troops in Ivankiv," Accuses Russian False Explanation

The late Oleg Bulavenko, a Ukrainian who was shot dead by Russian troops while fleeing with his family [Photo by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] The story of a Ukrainian son who lost his father to Russian gunfire while fleeing has been shared.

On the 3rd (local time), the multinational coalition media Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) released footage of a tragedy that occurred on the 25th of last month, the second day after Russia invaded Ukraine, in the village of Ivankiv, Ukraine. This village is located about 60 km north of the capital Kyiv (Kiyev).

At the time, Ukrainian Oleh Bulavenko evacuated his wife and daughter first, then set out fleeing with his son and three pet dogs remaining at home. During this, the son was filming the village, which had been reduced to ruins by Russian shelling, in real time. Then, the father and son came face to face with Russian troops.

According to the video released by RFE/RL, Russian soldiers indiscriminately fired at the Bulavenko family's vehicle. The son screamed in shock as bullets pierced through the car. The father then calmed his son and instructed him to take cover.

The father, who was in the driver's seat, shouted to his son, "Get out of the car and lie down. Do you hear me? Go to the back of the car and duck," then kicked open the car door and got out himself.

The son hid behind the rear of the car, but the father was hit by gunfire from the Russian soldiers and collapsed. The son cried out to his fallen father, "Dad, don't die. Please."

Even in this situation, the father prioritized his son's safety. He briefly lifted his head to check if his son was okay and said, "It hurts so much. I'd rather be killed," adding, "It seems my leg is torn off."

The son held onto his father and pleaded, "Dad, please don't die. I beg you like this. Don't move. Hang on. Let's get out of here. Dad, you're alive, right? Don't worry. I'll save you."

However, the father ultimately passed away. RFE/RL reported that Oleh Bulavenko died from gunshot wounds, and two of the pet dogs with them also died on the spot. They added that the surviving dog tried not to leave Bulavenko's side.

According to reports, Russian forces claimed they did not shoot civilians, distancing themselves from Bulavenko's death.

However, RFE/RL confirmed that there were no Ukrainian troops in Ivankiv at the time of the shooting, suggesting that the Russian military's explanation was false. RFE/RL stated, "Eyewitnesses testified that the shots were fired by Russian soldiers," and asked for this video to be shared.

Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UHCHR) announced in a press release on the 4th that as of midnight that day, 331 civilians had died and 675 were injured in Ukraine due to the Russian invasion. Among them, 19 children were reported dead.

UHCHR explained, "Most civilian deaths were caused by the use of explosive weapons such as heavy artillery unit shelling, multiple rocket launch systems, missiles, and airstrikes," adding, "The actual number of deaths is likely higher."

Considering that Russian forces continue indiscriminate bombing in civilian residential areas, the number of casualties is expected to increase further.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.