Reports of Russian war crimes in Ukraine have sparked outrage worldwide and calls for renewed sanctions on Russia and trials for war crimes for Russia’s leaders.
Summary
Reports of Russian war crimes and massacres of civilians in Ukraine have sparked outrage worldwide and calls for renewed sanctions on Russia and trials for war crimes for Russia’s leaders.
- World leaders reacted with horror to reports of hundreds of civilians murdered in Russian-occupied towns, and Poland’s prime minister accused the Russians of committing “the crime of genocide.”
- Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is set to address the United Nations Security Council today regarding allegations of Russian war crimes. Russia’s retreat from the suburbs around Kyiv revealed “grisly” evidence of civilian massacres that killed hundreds.
- President Joe Biden said, “this guy is brutal” and called for additional sanctions and war crimes trial for Vladimir Putin upon hearing reports of Russian atrocities in Bucha and across Ukraine.
- The United States announced a crackdown on Russian bond payments, raising the risk of a Russian debt default that could throw Putin’s regime into even more economic turmoil.
- Even with such clear and compelling evidence of Russian atrocities, international lawyers told the AP that the road to trials for war crimes would be long and difficult.
- The New York Times interviewed residents of a town recently liberated from Russian occupation. They described life under Russian occupation – detention, threats, assaults, and mock executions.
- CNN reported on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s comments that negotiations would be difficult after news of the Bucha massacre broke, and concerns about a renewed Russian assault in Eastern Ukraine.
- BBC News published a point-by-point refutation of Russia’s unfounded claims denying culpability for the Bucha massacre.
- Fox News published new photos from of the Bucha massacre and the devastation in Mariupol after weeks of indiscriminate Russian bombing of civilian areas.
- The Wall Street Journal broke the news that Europe will target Russian coal in the latest round of sanctions, striking at a key Russian export and source of funding.
- The Washington Examiner accused Biden of “dithering” in his response to Russian atrocities even as Britain and the EU call for a stronger response and tougher new sanctions.
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© Dominic Moore, 2022
