Three years have passed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, escalating the war that began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and the occupation of parts of Donetsk and Luhansk. The ongoing war has caused massive destruction, widespread human suffering, and numerous documented war crimes.
According to Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, more than 150,000 war crimes cases have been opened since the full-scale invasion began. These crimes include the torture and execution of civilians, including children, women, and the elderly; the execution of prisoners of war; the bombing of hospitals, schools, and kindergartens; sexual violence; and numerous other horrendous war crimes.
One of the gravest humanitarian crimes reported is the abduction of 20,000 Ukrainian children, who have been forcibly taken to Russia or Russian-occupied territories. Many have been subjected to forced Russification in so-called “re-education” camps.
On March 17, 2023, following an investigation into war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights for unlawful deportation and transfer of children, a war crime under international law. The warrant against Putin is the first ever issued against the leader of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
The war has also resulted in severe infrastructure damage, with entire cities and villages reduced to rubble. Ukrainian officials estimate that thousands of civilian buildings, including homes, cultural sites, and energy facilities, have been targeted. Millions of Ukrainians have been displaced, creating one of the largest refugee crises in modern history.
Three years after Putin launched his full-scale invasion, Ukraine faces new challenges. The US president Donald Trump has caused shockwaves across the world with his apparently pro-Russian stance. He has launched repeated attacks on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, falsely branding him a “dictator” and wrongly accusing Ukraine of “starting” the war.
Now, Ukraine and its supporters are fighting a new front. Apart of fighting the Russian invaders from the east, a new battle emerges – with Trump who keeps on repeating Putin’s lies to the letter.
Despite the heavy toll and the new challenges, Ukraine continues to resist, supported by great many nations and freedom loving people across Europe and the world.
Xh. D.
