On February 24, the modern history of Ukraine entered the unchartered waters. Russian troops that invaded Ukraine, wreaking havoc and committing crimes unheard of in the 21st century, wiping out the entire cities, torturing, raping, and slaying civilians. Russia has shown the true essence of the so-called «Russian world», which brings destruction and death. No country in Europe after 1945 suffered such devastation as Ukraine due to the Russian invasion. Russia must suffer the well-deserved punishment for every crime committed in Ukraine, and Russians must for decades bear the shame similar to that the Third Reich society has gone through for supporting Hitler.
Russia is committing genocide against Ukrainians on ethnic grounds in the largest cleansing since the end of World War II. Tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands of civilians have been affected. In Mariupol alone, the estimated civilian death toll stands at nearly 87,000 as residents were denied escape. According to testimonies of captured Russian officers, Putin personally ordered to inflict maximum destruction on Ukrainian populaces and kill as many civilians as possible. Thus, Russian troops on their way to Kyiv and Kharkiv in February-March 2022 systematically destroyed villages and towns, tortured and executed the civilians. This is a «scorched earth» tactic historically inherent in Russia, which was used both during the tsarist times and those of the USSR.
The Russian army turned out to be asymmetrically weak: they’ve achieved none of their initial goals, being forced to retreat in five of the nine areas along which they advanced in the spring. Amid these embarrassing defeats, Putin launched massive missile terror, killing civilians and destroying Ukraine’s infrastructure. Over the first two days of 2023 alone, Russia attacked Kyiv with 80 drones, all of which were shot down. Putin no longer pursues the goal of inflicting selective destruction on critical infrastructure: he aims to murder Ukrainians and destroy residential blocks in a bid to intimidate the nation and coerce the government to negotiations.
The Russians commit outrageous atrocities against the civilian population in the occupied territories: wherever their troops advance, local residents recall torture and executions. The occupiers intended to use violence and terror to sway Ukrainians in their favor, robbed their homes, and forcibly mobilized men into their army so that Ukrainians would fight against their compatriots. The world still hasn’t grasped the scale of the tragedy Putin has brought to Ukraine.
Russia has reached agreements with Iran for the supply of strike drones and ballistic missiles, and therefore the shelling of Ukrainian cities will continue. Ukraine needs assistance from the West: first of all, air defense capabilities to protect the civilian population and infrastructure from Russian missiles. The Armed Forces must be armed with all the weapons they need because they actually are a «shield of Europe» now. And after Ukraine wins this war, Russia will be held accountable for all the crimes they committed during the invasion.