The last time Europe witnessed atrocities on this scale was under the Nazi Wehrmacht blitz led by Adolf Hitler 80 years ago. The Nazi crimes against humanity are being emulated today by the Russian butchers of Putin’s invading forces in his unprovoked war against Ukraine. The barbaric treachery of Russia’s troops will remain as a permanent stain forever on the reputation of the once proud “Red Army”.
The Russian invading forces decided that after the massive shelling of Kyiv and Kharkiv, it was Chernihiv’s turn to experience their slash and burn tactics. On 3 March, the city was subjected to massive shelling with ballistic missiles and artillery barrages. Several houses were damaged. Information about the victims is being clarified. The world has a responsibility to stop Russia from launching such tactics against civilians to terrorise the Ukrainian population.
Frustrated that their soldiers cannot defeat the Ukrainian Army, the Russians are directly attacking the civilian population of Ukraine. Many cities on the offensive line of the Russian invaders are subjected to the most severe shelling. Russian troops are shelling residential areas in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Kherson, Akhtyrka, Bila Tserkva and other cities. When the Russian army is stalled by defensive forces, their shelling of civilians intensifies. These are war crimes, and they are being committed against the children and grandchildren of Ukrainians who served in the Red Army in Russia’s fight for freedom during the great patriotic war of 1941-1945.
The Russians directly threaten civilians when they meet fierce resistance from both the Ukrainian army and local residents, “either let us into the settlement, or we will destroy it” (Konotop, Sumy region). At the start of the war (February 24-25), Russia was firing ballistic missiles at certain military facilities, but from 1 March the tactics changed, and they have now begun the massive shelling of residential areas in towns, villages and cities.
In many settlements that are surrounded by the Russian army, the situation is fast approaching a humanitarian catastrophe. In Mariupol, the Russian invaders are trying to “starve out” citizens by implementing a transport and food blockade whilst they flatten the city with bombs. Unless these attacks on civilians stop, there will be a food crisis with widespread hunger, famine and a humanitarian catastrophe on a massive scale. The Russians are already looting whatever food they can find from shops in their path, and the local population is being murdered. For example on 2 March, in the Mykolaiv region, two unarmed men were crippled by a grenade explosion when they appealed to the invading Russian army convoy with their bare hands to stop.
Communications and transport infrastructure, bridges and roads are being destroyed. The invading forces are taking civilians hostage to act as human shields. These are classic scorched earth tactics from a barbaric army that has no principles or decency, much like the Nazi Wehrmacht in the 1940s.
But let there be no mistake.
Russia will pay for these war crimes, Russian citizens, and Red Army pensions will be paying for war reparations to Ukraine for many years to come when the unwelcome invading forces have been sent back home. For this is a war that they cannot win. The world must stop Russia from committing more atrocities. The Russian people need to be informed of the enormity of the bill for their army’s crimes which they will have to pay from Russia’s economy and taxes for years to come. No matter how long it takes.
