War in Ukraine: Horror in the streets raises demand for punishment on Russia

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Pressure for Russia’s 40-day invasion of Ukraine to be punished in international investigations for war crimes escalated this weekend with the discovery of more than 400 civilian corpses strewn across the streets and in graves in cities. from the Kiev region.

The biggest massacre took place in Butcha, about 30km from the capital, where the city says it found the bodies of 280 people. According to the report of the authorities and news agencies, some elements indicate that the victims were not in combat:

• some carried white cloth, a signal to warn that they were civilians and were unarmed;

• others had their hands tied and shot marks on the back of their necks;

• part was found near bicycles, backpacks and bags with groceries;

• they were also close to documents that identified them as Ukrainian citizens.

According to the Ukrainian government, the bodies were found by troops who only managed to enter Butcha on Saturday, after the withdrawal of Russian troops from the region.

Context: On Tuesday, Russia announced a “drastic reduction” in military activity in and around Kiev, claiming the move would facilitate negotiations with Ukraine.

However, the move has been interpreted as a move by Moscow from taking the Ukrainian capital after a record low of its troops. Now, Russia must concentrate its forces in the eastern and southern territories — areas dominated by separatists and where Russia could accumulate the most gains.

International officials called the images released this weekend “shocking”, accused Russia of committing “atrocities” and called for an investigation of war crimes by international courts.

• António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, declared it essential that “independent investigation leads to a effective accountability“.

• Charles Michel, President of the European Council, said that the European Union is “helping Ukraine and NGOs in evidence collection necessary for the proceedings in international courts“;

• French President Emmanuel Macron said Russian authorities must “answer for these crimes“;

• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the images are new. war crimes evidence. “No amount of denial or disinformation from the Kremlin can hide what we all know to be the truth,” Johnson said in a statement.

Russia denies the attacks and says the images are a “performance staged by the Kiev regime for Western media”. The Defense Ministry claims that Russian troops left Butcha on March 30 and that exits from the city were not blocked.

Moscow asked the UN Security Council for a meeting to talk about the case.

more accusations

This Sunday (3), the NGO Human Rights Watch announced that it had documented cases of violations of the laws of war by Russia with attacks against civilians in the Kiev, Chernihiv and Kharkiv regions. Occurrences were reported by victims and witnesses and include:

• a case of repeated rape;

• two cases of summary shootings, including that of a man surrounded in Butcha on March 4th;

• cases of looting of civil property, including food, clothing and firewood.

“The cases we have documented are deliberate and unspeakable cruelty and violence against Ukrainian civilians,” said Hugh Williamson, the organization’s director for Europe and Central Asia. “Rape, murder and other violent acts against persons in the custody of Russian forces should be investigated as war crimes,” he declared.

Do not get lost

We recall the main initiatives of the international community in the legal and diplomatic field that Russia and Putin face for the invasion of Ukraine:

1. International Criminal Court

The criminal court in The Hague (Netherlands), which tries individuals, opened an investigation into the situation in Ukraine after the request of 39 countries. So far, possible war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide are being investigated. The agency’s attorney general, Karim Khan, was in Kiev last month and met virtually with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky;

2. International Court of Justice

The international court for dispute between states, also based in The Hague, ordered on the 16th that Russia suspend military operations. The decision was made by 13 votes to 2 (judges from Russia and China voted against). The court also declared no have found evidence of crimes in Ukraine against humanity, as Moscow claimed in relation to the pro-Russian breakaway regions;

3. UN General Assembly

The body passed two resolutions condemning the war and calling for an end to the Russian siege to Ukrainian cities — and Brazil voted in favor of the measure in both cases. The votes in the Assembly, which does not have the means to enforce the determinations, took place after the Security Council vetoed a resolution condemning the invasion — Russia has veto power and blocked the measure that had been approved by the body;

4. Council of Europe

The body dedicated to the promotion of human rights in the European system announced the exclusion from Russia after 26 years accession, when the war completed two weeks. Moscow had already announced that it would formally stop participating in council meetings.

What happened this Sunday (3)

• Russian missiles hit the Odessa region, the main Ukrainian port;

• Ukraine said Russia attacked hospital near Lugansk in the east;

• Russians hold 11 Ukrainian mayors and officials in captivity, Kiev accused;

• The head of the Russian Orthodox Church said at a mass that the population was “ready to protect the motherland”.

What to see and hear to understand the conflict:

The images of the attack on Odessa, admitted by Russia, and the marks of destruction in Irpin, near Kiev, left by the troops: