the catchin forest in the smolensk region this is where a mass grave of people in polish military uniform was first discovered that was in one thousand nine hundred three during the german occupation. and the poles lay in their graves in three all four rows side by side some were even layered on top of one another that. who ordered the execution of the polish prisoners of war when exactly would they kill all the witnesses have to say about it off the move than fifteen years of silence why would the details of the captain tragedy kept secret for so long. in russia's north west lies among the straight on an island and lakes and again in one nine hundred forty it housed the prison camp where more than five thousand polish on the servicemen and police were in prison. was just a child at the time. she found out how the mona street had been turned into a prison camp for prisoners of war from a relative who was serving in the soviet even in secret police the n.k.v.d. . raging every day a special train was coming to the city a moustache gov should you put a polish prisoners of war barely had any

in late one nine hundred forty three soviet troops drove the germans out of the smolensk region soon another medical commission this time led by the well known soviet surgeon nicholai but then started work in the canteen sanest its time to find evidence that the polish prisoners had been killed by the germans in nine hundred forty one after they'd invaded the soviet union. or when a german made water pistol was found there that became the main argument in support of the claim that it was the germans that executed the polish officers of the theory that it was the nazis that killed them was based on this discovery. and tom of seeing is a former political prisoner whose father belonged to lenin's in a circle. he sent up a goon like museum commemorating the victims of political repressions. a friend who work. to the institute of forensic studies told how evidence in the counting case had been faked in the soviet union in one nine hundred forty four. are not the woman was on duty at that time me she saw the remains being hauled out of boxes you see in the pockets being stuffed with newspa

vida yeah common his fellow on the servicemen were sent to the camp in the smolensk region to feel that it was a few that i mean unlike my father most of those taken prisoner when not korea offices rather they represented the polish intelligentsia. they were university professors high school teachers actors and autists among them. in short all those who had been drafted into the army in one nine hundred thirty nine. in august that year the soviet union in germany signed a non-aggression treaty in moscow which later became known as the molotov rippon trial pact this covert document detailed the partition of eastern europe on september the first nine hundred thirty nine germany attacked poland by september the seventeenth soviet troops entered poland as well this rare footage shows a joint parade in the town of brest the soviet brigade commander chris shane and general good rianne of germany share a viewing platform the polish army had now ceased to exist. all they. needed i never saw my father from that moment on there was no word from him until he. taken prisoner by the soviets. most of

it was then that secret burials were found in the village of canton near smolensk the german on these medical costs at the bodies of more than four thousand polish army officers had been found seven ditches in a forest. they had been examined under the supervision of professor again brooks a well known anthropologist from press with a city but slater told the international red cross committee about his findings. were going on april thirteenth one thousand nine hundred forty three radio berlin announced that polish army officers and policemen who had been shot and killed by the end of a day in one nine hundred forty the soviets refuted it two days later they claimed that the polish officers had been executed by the germans third in the autumn of one thousand nine hundred forty one for your award. in one thousand nine hundred three dimitri was thirteen years old he's lived in the county in forest area all his life the german authorities took him and many other local people to the exhumation site. dmitri thinks the message was clear. nothing would have happened if the germans had uncover

into the massacre thousands of people were imprisoned and executed in the could to enforce near smolensk russia and poland had previously disagreed on the date and death toll of the events a criminal proceedings began in one thousand nine hundred ninety and moscow's official investigation ended in two thousand and four this is the second handover of materials relating to the case following warsaw's calls for legal assistance. and i let's take a look at some other stories making headlines around the world a un a probe has concluded that israel's raid on a gaza bound aid flotilla in may broke international law the organization said the violence which left nine activists dead was this book fortunate but israel insists the soldiers were acting in self-defense the attack happened after israeli commandos boarded the convoy as it tried to breach an israeli naval blockade. around twenty people have been injured after two bomb blasts in eastern afghanistan it's reported that the devices planted at the roadside exploded while security forces were passing by the injured are senior officials as well

investigation into the massacre thousands of imprisoned poles were executed in the cotton forest near smolensk russia has since the knowledge that soviet forces were responsible for the deaths but poland still wanted further investigation into the incident this is the second handover of evidence relating to the case following warsaw's calls for legal assistance. and out to some other international stories in brief this hour pressure is mounting long missions in delhi as more countries delay their arrival for the commonwealth games in india new zealand along with canada and scotland have postponed their travel plans to be event it all comes after indian organizers faced criticism over poor combination for athletes and the collapse of a foot bridge which injured twenty seven workers the games are due to begin next week with local officials insisting that the facilities will be completed on time. a un investigation has concluded that the military broke international laws during a raid on a gaza bound a flotilla in may report describes the violence that left dead as disproportionate but israel ins

investigation into the massacre thousands of imprisoned poles are executed in the canteen forest near smolensk russia is since acknowledged that socket forces were responsible for the deaths but poland still wanted further investigation into the incident this is the second hand over of evidence relating to the case following warsaw's calls for legal assistance the . vice president's been wounded in a grenade attack on his house alexander and wasn't seriously injured in the bombing which the country's leader said was aimed at destabilizing the republic because it was a small nation the cases on the eastern shore of the black sea in the early ninety's after the collapse of the soviet union it fought a war for its independence from georgia then after the georgian a set in conflicts in two thousand and eight the country's independence was recognized by russia and other countries georgia still considers a cars either part of its territory. international news in brief pressure is mounting on officials in delhi as more countries delay their arrival for the commonwealth games in india new zealand alon