On August 21, the whole world celebrates the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, which reminds us of the terrible consequences of terror and the need to combat it. This day is especially important for Ukraine in 2024, which faces Russian state daily terror.
One of the most shocking and tragic events that occurred on the eve of this date was the shelling of a children’s café in the village of Malokaterynivka in the Zaporizhzhia region on August 20, 2024. This barbaric act took the life of a 15-year-old boy, who was seriously injured and died in the hospital. Four more children, aged 11 to 17, were injuries of various degrees of severity. Among the victims was also an 18-year-old girl, who was taken to the hospital, where doctors managed to stabilize her condition.
This tragedy is just one example of the cruelty and brutality of Russia’s actions, which continues to violate all international norms and principles. Regular shelling of civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and residential buildings, is normal for Russian aggression in Ukraine. To date, there are more than 181,000 destroyed objects, including 146,025 residential buildings and 825 medical institutions, which leads to significant humanitarian crises and suffering of the civilian population. The total losses of the medical sector are estimated at 17.8 billion dollars. Russians are depriving Ukrainian children of the right to childhood! More than 200 schools have been completely destroyed, depriving thousands of Ukrainian children the opportunity to study.
Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have already started investigations of about 140,000 war crimes and crimes of aggression, as well as about 19,000 crimes against national security. These crimes include the murder of 12,927 people, including 569 children, and the injury of 22,914 civilians, including 1,513 children. This is 21st century terrorism in the heart of Europe! How can we not mention this aspect of the Russian-Ukrainian war? Law enforcement agencies have documented 301 confirmed cases of conflict-related sexual violence. Russian occupation forces actively use sexual violence as a method of warfare, in particular to intimidate, avenge, or “punish” both civilians in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) and Ukrainian prisoners of war, regardless of their gender and age.
Russia, which hypocritically claims to fight terrorism, itself actively supports and finances terrorist organizations such as HAMAS and the Taliban. This cooperation is against the West and violates international law. Not only Ukrainians, but also citizens of other countries, such as the passengers of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17, shot down by the Russian military in 2014, become victims of Russian terror. The international community must recognize Putin’s regime as terrorist and take all necessary measures to hold Russia accountable.
Military support for Ukraine plays an important role in this process. To protect its citizens, Ukraine needs a stable supply of modern weapons, including air defense systems, artillery and ammunition. Permission to use long-range weapons to strike military targets in Russia, including bases and airfields, is also essential for Ukraine’s counter-offensive operations. Today, as Russia continues its terrorist policy, international support for Ukraine is more important than ever. The world must unite to counter Russian aggression and defend the principles of freedom and security. The International Day of Remembrance and Tribute of the Victims of Terrorism is a reminder that we must act decisively to prevent further tragedies and achieve justice for all victims of terror.