Jitendra Hydonus
Surrender Kitty
Administrator
Hero Member
Karma: 319
 Online
Posts: 20215
Intereststs; Meditation/Spiritual Life
|
 |
« on: Jan 16, 2025 03:02 pm » |
|
In light of these developments in the war between Russia and Ukraine I am beginning to have mixed emotions about our support of Ukrainian Democracy. Can Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his government handle inhumane treatment of Russian soldiers? If not how can they be an example of a democracy in world politics? In the same way how can the U.S. be an example of a democracy and human decency when we are taking a position of taking other countries by force such as Greenland and Panama under the Trump regime?
Options for surrendering
Main article: I Want to Live (hotline)
On 18 September 2022, the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (Ukrainian: Координаційний штаб з питань поводження з військовополоненими), as a continuation of the project designed to inform the Russian military about the possibility of laying down weapons and preserving their lives, launched a special state project called "I Want to Live", with a 24-hour hotline for receiving appeals from the Russian military and their families.[58][59] The project states that Russian servicemen can submit an application to surrender through various methods including calling the round-the-clock hotline, or following instructions from a chatbot on the project's Telegram.[60] They are then given instructions on how to practically surrender to one of the Ukrainian military formations, such as the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Territorial Defence Forces, the National Police, the National Guard, or the Security Service of Ukraine.[60]
The Prosecutor-General of Russia blocked access to the website of "I Want to Live" in October 2022, but it remained operational.[60][61] On 4 May 2023, the hotline's spokesperson Vitaliy Matvienko stated that it received requests to surrender from 3200 Russian soldiers in April 2023, representing a 10% increase over March 2023. He added that the hotline had received a total of 16,000 requests to surrender since its inception. Its website had been accessed over 36 million times, 32 million visits of which were made from the territory of the Russian Federation.[a]
The I Want to Live project website states that Ukrainian authorities will treat prisoners of war in compliance with the Geneva Conventions.[61] Surrendering Russians soldiers are said to be guaranteed the right to life and the prohibition of torture in accordance with international law.[60] POWs are to be offered three meals a day, legal support, and medical attention once their application to surrender has been approved.[61] Soldiers in Russian service who voluntarily hand over their weapons and military equipment would reportedly also be given amnesty.[60] To those who have surrendered, the Ukrainian authorities offer the opportunity to call their relatives and friends,[60] and to take part in a prisoner exchange organized between the governments of Russia and Ukraine, or to remain temporarily in detention with the possibility of staying in Ukraine or emigrating later.[64] Some individual Russian soldiers have been reported as surrendering to Ukraine, and then given permission to join the Ukrainian military instead. For example, a Yekaterinburg tank driver was the only surviving crew member when his tank was destroyed; surrendering to the Ukrainians using a white flag, he was surprised that he was not tortured (as he feared).[65] Believing a return to Russia impossible, he later joined their side to repair captured Russian tanks and armoured vehicles.[65]
Mistreatment of captured Russian soldiers
Public exposure of Russian POWs
Since 27 February, the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs has shared on social media photos and videos of killed Russian soldiers,[66] soon followed by dozens of videos of prisoners of war under interrogation, sometimes blindfolded or bound, revealing their names and personal information, and expressing regret over their involvement in the invasion.[1][67][68] The videos have raised concerns about potential violations of Article 13 Third Geneva Convention, which states that prisoners of war should be protected "against insults and public curiosity."[69][70] On 7 March, Amnesty International released a statement saying that "it is essential that all parties to the conflict fully respect the rights of prisoners of war," and saying that filmed prisoners of war and their families could be put at risk of reprisals following repatriation to Russia.[2]
On 16 March, Human Rights Watch described the videos as intentional humiliation and shaming, and urged the Ukrainian authorities to stop posting them on social media and messaging apps.[1] Analogous concerns were expressed by various Western newspapers.[71][72][73][74] A spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Elizabeth Throssell, said that the videos, if genuine, were likely to be incompatible with human dignity and current international humanitarian law.[75] Interviewed by Der Spiegel, international law expert Daniel-Erasmus Khan [de] said that "letting POWs call home is actually a good thing, filming it and putting it online however is not," as it was incompatible with the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war.[76]
Torture of Russian and separatist soldiers
Main article: Torture of Russian soldiers in Mala Rohan
Some Russian and Russian-affiliated prisoners of war who were in the hands of Ukrainian forces made allegations of summary executions, torture and ill-treatment by members of the Ukrainian forces, in some cases, Russian prisoners were stabbed and subjected to electric torture.[7] Ukraine later launched criminal investigations into allegations of mistreatment of Russian prisoners of war by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.[7]
According to the 26 March 2022 OHCHR report, the HRMMU was aware of one allegation of a threat of sexual violence by a Ukrainian soldier, in which "a captured Russian military member was threatened with castration on camera".[8][77]
As of 31 July 2022, OHCHR documented 50 cases of torture and ill-treatment of prisoners of war in the power of Ukraine, including cases of Russian and separatist soldiers being beaten, kicked or shot during capture or interrogation, some also reported suffering electrocution and positional torture while under interrogation.[8] One prisoner of war was reportedly suffocated by Ukrainian policemen of the Kharkiv SBU during his interrogation.[8] Many Russian and separatist soldiers also reported "horrible conditions" during transport to POW camps, with many being stripped naked and having their wrists tied.[7]
Torture of Russian POWs in Mala Rohan
Main article: Torture of Russian soldiers in Mala Rohan
According to a report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), members of Ukrainian armed forces shot the legs of three captured Russian soldiers and tortured Russian soldiers who were wounded.[78] The incident is likely to have occurred on the evening of 25 March in Mala Rohan, south-east of Kharkiv, in an area recently recaptured by Ukrainian troops,[4][79] and was first reported following the publication on social media accounts of a video of unknown authorship between 27 March and 28 March.[3] One of the video's versions depicts a number of soldiers lying on the ground; many appear to be bleeding from leg wounds. Three prisoners are brought out of a vehicle and shot in the leg by someone off-camera.[78] According to the OHCHR, as a documented case of summary execution and torture of prisoners of war, the incident qualifies as a war crime.[78]
Execution of surrendering and captured Russian soldiers
'No quarter' orders
On 2 March 2022, after the shelling of residential areas, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces threatened that Russian artillerymen will no longer be taken prisoner, but immediately killed.[80] On 29 June, the OHCHR documented three incidents where Ukrainian servicemen and one incident where a Russian serviceman made public threats of giving no quarter to prisoners of war.[78] Commander of the Georgian Legion Mamuka Mamulashvili denied such accusations.[81]
Execution of Russian POWs in Dmytrivka
On 6 April a video apparently showing Ukrainian troops of the Georgian Legion executing captured Russian soldiers was posted on Telegram.[82] The video was verified by The New York Times and by Reuters.[83][6] A wounded Russian soldier was seemingly shot twice by a Ukrainian soldier while lying on the ground. Three dead Russian soldiers, including one with a head wound and hands tied behind his back, were shown near the soldier. The video appeared to have been filmed on a road north of the village of Dmytrivka, seven miles south of Bucha.[84]
The Georgian Legion's commander Mamuka Mamulashvili acknowledged that killing of Russian prisoners of war was done under his own orders by a patrol of the Georgian Legion.[85] Mamulashvili justified no quarter for Russian soldiers as a response to the Bucha massacre.[86]
Mamuka Mamulashvili has also denied the allegations of war crimes by the Georgian Legion, saying the video does not show members of the Legion.[87] Some Ukrainian authorities (such as Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba) promised an investigation.[88] While others took less clear positions.[86]
Makiivka surrender incident
Main article: Makiivka surrender incident
On 12 November, a video appeared on pro-Ukrainian websites showing the bodies of soldiers in Russian uniforms lying on the ground in a farmyard in the Makiivka area.[89][90] On 17 November, more footage emerged, taken from the ground by a person at the scene. The video shows the Russian soldiers as they exit a building, surrender, and lay face down on the ground. Then another Russian soldier emerges from the same building and opens fire on the Ukrainian soldiers who are surprised.[89][90] An aerial video from the site documents the aftermath, with at least 12 bodies of Russian soldiers, most positioned as they were when they surrendered, bleeding from gunshot wounds to the head.[90][91]
The authenticity of the videos was verified by The New York Times.[90] Russia and Ukraine accused each other of war crimes, with Russia accusing Ukraine of "mercilessly shooting unarmed Russian P.O.W.s," and Ukraine accusing the Russians of opening fire while surrendering.[90][92] Ukraine's officials said the Prosecutor General’s office would investigate the video footage as the incident may qualify as a crime of "perfidy" committed by the Russian troops in feigning surrender.[92][93] On 25 November the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said “Our Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has conducted a preliminary analysis indicating that these disturbing videos are highly likely to be authentic in what they show” and called on the Ukrainian authorities to investigate the allegations of summary executions of Russian prisoners of war "in a manner that is – and is seen to be – independent, impartial, thorough, transparent, prompt and effective.”[94]
Prosecution of separatist POWs
The HRMMU also expressed concern about the prosecution of pro-Russian separatists for mere participation in the hostilities, which is prohibited under international humanitarian law.[7] On 1 December 2023, two pro-Russian separatists from the Donbas were captured by Ukraine and were sentenced to 12 years in prison for treason.[95] On 6 December 2023, a resident of Luhansk Oblast who was captured near Bilohorivka in May 2023 was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for joining the Luhansk People's Militia.[96]
Wickepedia
|
