In some regions in southern Ukraine, Russia has not only invaded and taken the homes of so many people there, they also started physically hurting them by torturing and beating civilians. This past weekend, Human Rights Watch, a New York-based non-profit organization, said that the abuse could be held against President Vladimir Putin as a war crime.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, it committed terrible atrocities against civilians especially in the capital, Kyiv, drawing global attention. Not only have Ukrainian prosecutors prepared cases and war crime trials, but many other organizations worldwide, like Human Rights Watch, are also trying to get Russian officials convicted.
“Russian forces have turned occupied areas of southern Ukraine into an abyss of fear and wild lawlessness,” said Yulia Gorbunova, senior Ukraine researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Torture, inhumane treatment, as well as arbitrary detention and unlawful confinement of civilians, are among the apparent war crimes we have documented.” Gorbunova added that authorities would be held accountable.
The organization also made a report, speaking with 71 people in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, both of which are big cities in Ukraine. From this, they found 42 cases of people held by Russian soldiers that could not escape and then disappeared.
“People interviewed described being tortured, or witnessing torture, through prolonged beatings and in some cases electric shocks,” the report said. “Injuries included severe burns; cuts; concussions; broken teeth; broken bones, including ribs; and broken blood vessels.”
The report by Human Rights Watch also documented three members of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces and what happened to them. They were held as prisoners of war by the Russian military and were tortured and severely injured. Only one of them survived.
After Russia had taken Kherson, the civilians started protesting Russia’s occupation, one of the first places where they did so. Their resistance also became brutal as Kherson insurgents bombed some Russian proxy leaders there. They were able to claim some lost territory, one of the first victories for Ukraine.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, it committed terrible atrocities against civilians especially in the capital, Kyiv, drawing global attention. Not only have Ukrainian prosecutors prepared cases and war crime trials, but many other organizations worldwide, like Human Rights Watch, are also trying to get Russian officials convicted.
“Russian forces have turned occupied areas of southern Ukraine into an abyss of fear and wild lawlessness,” said Yulia Gorbunova, senior Ukraine researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Torture, inhumane treatment, as well as arbitrary detention and unlawful confinement of civilians, are among the apparent war crimes we have documented.” Gorbunova added that authorities would be held accountable.
The organization also made a report, speaking with 71 people in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, both of which are big cities in Ukraine. From this, they found 42 cases of people held by Russian soldiers that could not escape and then disappeared.
“People interviewed described being tortured, or witnessing torture, through prolonged beatings and in some cases electric shocks,” the report said. “Injuries included severe burns; cuts; concussions; broken teeth; broken bones, including ribs; and broken blood vessels.”
The report by Human Rights Watch also documented three members of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces and what happened to them. They were held as prisoners of war by the Russian military and were tortured and severely injured. Only one of them survived.
After Russia had taken Kherson, the civilians started protesting Russia’s occupation, one of the first places where they did so. Their resistance also became brutal as Kherson insurgents bombed some Russian proxy leaders there. They were able to claim some lost territory, one of the first victories for Ukraine.
