Widespread and Systematic" Torture by Putin's Troops in Ukraine Raises International Alarm
Russian forces, under the command of President Vladimir Putin, stand accused of escalating human rights abuses against Ukrainian soldiers, including gruesome instances of torture, according to reports obtained by RadarOnline.com.
As Russia's war on Ukraine nears its 15-month mark, disturbing details have emerged suggesting the alleged "crimes against humanity" committed by Moscow's military in the embattled nation are intensifying. A recent report revealed at least 725 instances of "torture, ill-treatment, summary executions, and other human rights violations" perpetrated by Russian troops in Ukraine.
One particular case reportedly involved a Ukrainian soldier who was subjected to extreme torture by his Russian captors, as reported by the Daily Star. The captive was allegedly tormented with a red-hot iron and repeatedly suffocated with a gas mask. The level of brutality was such that the Ukrainian soldier "begged to die," however, his tormentors refused, stating he "hadn't yet seen the full seven circles of hell."
Harrowing accounts of other abuses have also surfaced. Released Ukrainian prisoners reportedly disclosed being forced to listen to the continuous assault of a fellow soldier over three days, until the victim suddenly vanished. In the recently liberated city of Kherson, soldiers described an incident where a comrade was shot in the head for "acting too slowly" following an order to lie on the ground.
Therese Rytter, the legal director of human rights organization Dignity, categorized the alleged torture by Putin's forces as "widespread, systematic and may therefore constitute a crime against humanity." Interviews conducted by Dignity with at least 121 victims of Russian abuse suggest that the use of torture has become a "normal practice" within Putin's military.
These alarming revelations emerge in the wake of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing an arrest warrant for Putin due to purported war crimes occurring in Ukraine. Announced in March, the warrant alleges the Russian leader's involvement in the "unlawful deportation of [children] and that of unlawful transfer of [children] from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.”