War Crimes In Ukraine
Documenting the crimes of Ukrainian forces during the Russia—Ukraine war.
War is hell. In a civilized society it wouldn't exist. In a less insane, more consciously evolved society, we would not allow governments which facilitate such barbary among the population to exist.
But at the present moment that is a moot point. The war in Ukraine has been barbaric from the start, but unfortunately due to ongoing propaganda operations misconstruing and misrepresenting information to Western audiences, many are left without all the facts or proper context.
It should be stated plainly that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is entirely illegal, and expressly condemned. Any acknowledgement of Western hypocrisy or wrongdoing by the Ukrainians should not be seen as a de facto endorsement of Putin's outright thuggery.
This war shouldn't be happening. And the rash actions of Vladimir Putin bears just as much responsibility for the upheaval of average citizens lives as the expansion of NATO, the warmongering of the West, and the puppet regime it installed in Ukraine.
Though those atrocities do deserve a spotlight. Throughout the conflict Western media has constantly downplayed and whitewashed the infestation of Nazi elements in Ukraine's military forces. Attempting to paint them as heroes and freedom fighters.
While ignoring not only the important context of the West backing these extremist forces and their direct role in instigating this conflict, but also so many of the heinous human rights abuses committed by the soldiers of Ukraine since its outset.
The purpose of this article is to do the job that the mainstream media won't, and report these incidents as to present a more complete account of what is truly unfolding on the ground.
Reader discretion is advised beyond this point as much of the content is graphic.
Humiliation of POW's:
Almost immediately from the outset of the war, both sides began posting videos of dead and captured soldiers from the opposing sides.
Both Russian and Ukrainian sides have engaged in this activity, a practice which raises multiple ethical and legal concerns. A distinction in how either side carried out the practice however, is that the Ukrainian government has officially embraced utilizing this as a propaganda tool.
On March 16th, Human Rights Watch issued a statement condemning the posting of the images, and urging Ukrainian authorities to respect the rights of prisoners of war, as per the legal parameters of the Geneva Convention.
“Ukrainian authorities should stop posting on social media and messaging apps videos of captured Russian soldiers that expose them to public curiosity, in particular those that show them being humiliated or intimidated, Human Rights Watch said today. Such treatment of prisoners of war, or POWs, violates protections under the Geneva Conventions intended to ensure dignified treatment of captured combatants on all sides.”
Continuing to say,
“The obligation to protect POWs from being objects of public curiosity, as well as protecting them from intimidation or humiliation, is part of the broader requirement to ensure their humane treatment and protect their families from harm,” said Aisling Reidy, Senior Legal Advisor at Human Rights Watch. “The Ukrainian authorities should stop posting these videos online.”
And later explaining,
“The third Geneva Convention and Additional Protocol I address the protection of POWs. They make clear that POWs must be treated humanely in all circumstances and protected against any act of violence, as well as against intimidation, insults, and public curiosity. This includes disclosure of photographs or videos, recordings of interrogations, private conversations or personal correspondence, and any other private data.”
Despite this, many disturbing videos and images continue to be posted.
Possible torture:
Over the weekend, videos began to circulate online which purports to show Ukrainian soldiers mistreating Russian prisoners of war. The men in the video or on the ground, some of them have their heads in bags. Others appear to be bleeding, and beaten severely. The videos also show men being shot in the legs at point-blank range.
While still unverified, the blue arm band on the assaulting soldiers is meant to designate them as Ukrainian forces. An investigation has since been launched, and this article will be updated when further information becomes available.
Castrating The Wounded:
During times of war medical personnel are typically seen to be the most neutral. Treating both friend and foe alike. However now, raising concerns for even further war crimes, are the claims of Ukrainian frontline medic Gennadiy Druzenko, who has claimed in an interview he has ordered his staff to castrate all Russian male soldiers. Referring to them as "cockroaches, not people”.
Druzenko has since apologized and walked back the claim after his statements on national television sparked public outcry.
It is unsure at the moment whether or not any prisoners suffered this cruel fate before the order was rescinded. But regardless, this individual has no business serving in any sort of medical capacity if these are his feelings.
Bombing Civilians:
Since well before the Russian invasion, beginning following the 2014 coup, Ukraine's armed forces and ultra-nationalist militant groups have been at war with the people of Ukraine's Donbas region — territory in the Southeastern portion of Ukraine which attempted to declare its independence following the overthrow.
This territory, that of the Donetsk & Luhansk People's Republics, is crucial to the current conflict. As they are an ethnically Russian region who, according to data from the UN, have suffered constant bombardment from the Ukrainian government refusing to acknowledge their independence.
After several pleas for recognition and support from the Russian Federation which were previously denied, Putin finally decided to acknowledge them as autonomous and pledged to provide protection. Using this as a pretext to launch the full invasion.
One would think that ceasing the attacks against Donbas would be a major role in deescalating tensions and potentially ending the war before it even began. However, throughout the conflict Ukraine has continued to target these civilian areas in what amounts to blatant war crimes.
On March 14th, Ukraine's military fired a volly of cluster bombs on the residential center of Donetsk. This report by independent journalist and US Navy veteran Patrick Lancaster, who has been on the ground documenting the war in Donbas for several years, details the atrocity of this deliberate attack on a civilian city center.
Crimes of Azov:
For weeks as the invasion has been underway, claims have begun to surface from Ukrainian citizens of the crimes committed upon them by some of their country's own fighting forces. Primarily the Neo-Nazi Azov Battalion.
Testimonies abound of Azov using citizens as human shields, firing upon and even executing those who attempt to flee the fighting. Most of these reports, while in line with what we know historically to be practices of Azov, were mainly secondhand accounts reiterated by Russian media. Casting doubt on their legitimacy.
But now independent first-hand accounts of these atrocities have surfaced.
In the report below, Ukrainian refugees fleeing the city of Mariupol recount to journalist Patrick Lancaster the threat they were under by the very men tasked with protecting the city while Russian forces bombarded their homes.
The individuals interviewed detail how they felt abandoned by their government, beingleft them to fend for themselves as the invasion was underway. Left without food, water, electricity, or communications.
They tell how the Azov forces refused to allow them to leave the city, essentially holding them hostage. Others say the men of Azov would come to residential areas and kick people out of their homes, setting up firing positions there and using surrounding civilians as cover.
Further still, it is recounted how Azov would sometimes open fire on the citizens who were simply outside attempting to boil clean water.
These reports seem to confirm the already existing hundreds of accounts of similar experiences.
A Disturbing Execution:
This final entry is particularly heartwrenching. On the day of March 27, reports surfaced of heavy combat in the streets of Mariupol. As the fighting died down, journalists accompanying DPR fighters made a gruesome discovery.
Fighters of the Azov Battalion had established a base in the basement of a school. During the fighting the school was abandoned, weapons set on fire to avoid them falling into the hands of Russian forces.
But as those conducting a battle damage assessment searched the facility, they discovered the naked body of a dead woman. Who had been stabbed, and strangled to death with a plastic bag. Left behind by the fleeing ukrainians, who had drawn a swastika on her stomach in blood. In this author's opinion her nakedness leads one to presume she may have also been sexually assaulted.
These images are incredibly upsetting. And yet they are only some of what has been accounted to take place.
Atrocities such as this have taken place in every war throughout history. An aspect which particularly denotes war as being unbearably barbaric. And yet these actions don't see the light of day in Western media. On the off-chance that they do, they are whitewashed.
Our governments have convinced the public through a clever disinformation campaign to support this war, just as they have every other war that the American Empire has waged.
Our so-called leaders hypocritically grandstand as they call Putin a war criminal. He is. But it is wholly disingenuous to denounce him while at the same time supporting Nazi forces deliberately propped up by American administrations, who continue to commit these war crimes, as our media promotes dubious claims of Russian atrocities that don't hold up against eyewitness accounts.
All the while the American government at this very moment continues to facilitate war crimes of its own; in Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, and so forth. The establishment shape this catastrophe as a contest between good and evil. But no such dichotomy exists in modern warfare.
The reality is simply evil versus evil. For what else should you call an entity — governmental, military, or otherwise, that would invade foreign lands, slaughter innocents, and indoctrinate its youth to hate and kill their fellow human beings?
It is up to us to spread this information far and wide, no matter how unsettling it may be, and denounce this war in its entirety. Putin's war. Zelinsky's war. America's war. And stand up to these psychopaths who promote senseless mass murder for political aims.
The world must see what is truly happening and stand against this monstrosity. The monstrosity that is war itself.
We are not our governments. It's time we act like it.
That is an excellent article. Truly horrifying to read, but a real service to humanity that you have done this.
Rob