Photos of civilians allegedly hanged in Luhansk Region appear online

Pictures of civilians executed for aiding the AFU appeared in Russian, and then in Ukrainian public forums. On their necks they hung signs saying "he passed information to the enemy" and "traitor to the Luhansk people". Activist Sergey Sternenko decided to show these pictures to the public, including the Western world:

In Luhansk region Russian bastards publicly executed civilians. It's telling for everyone to see it. And the world should see it. The real disgusting face of non-humans who brag about their atrocities

Bellingcat journalist Hristo Grozev also paid attention to the photo.

On the first picture there are two bodies, on the second one there are three. They are hanging on ropes with sacks on their heads, hands tied behind their backs, no shoelaces on their shoes.

The head of the Luhansk OVA, Serhiy Haidai, said that the information is not 100% confirmed and a check is under way at the moment

As soon as we have confirmed information, we will definitely publish it immediately... Information still needs to be checked thoroughly. What we are doing about those photos of hanged Ukrainians we saw today on the Internet

The Prosecutor-General's Office of Ukraine has not yet confirmed or commented on information about the execution of civilians in the LNR.

We should add that the name "Smersh" (short for "death to spies!") was used by the Soviet counter-intelligence structures during World War II. Smersh existed from 1943 to 1946. Cases of extrajudicial killings of detainees are known.