“We now have credible information that a Russian military unit operating in the Donetsk region executed Ukrainians trying to surrender instead of holding them in custody,” he told a UN Security Council meeting focusing on accountability in Ukraine. “If true, this would violate a basic principle of the law of war: the prohibition of the summary execution of civilians and fighters who are hors de combat due to surrender, injury or other forms of incompetence,” he added. . Executions are part of a growing list of war crimes Russia is accused of, including targeting civilians, abducting children, torturing and raping. Russia has focused its efforts on the Donetsk region, as its forces failed to occupy the capital, Kiev. The United States has previously described Russia’s actions as “genocide” and has imposed dozens of sanctions to target the Russian economy in an effort to cripple the invasion. It also provided billions of dollars in military support to Ukraine during the war. “Our simple message to the Russian military and political leadership and to the hierarchy is this: the world is watching and you will be held accountable,” Van Schaack said. Top home buyers marginalized by higher mortgage rates Nation hears mixed pandemic messages Two months after the war, 5 million Ukrainians have fled the country, while millions more have been internally displaced by the fighting. Providing humanitarian aid was difficult, as Russia reportedly fired on trucks and civilian aid workers. Russia has denied the allegations in a statement issued Friday stating “Similar, baseless allegations concerning Russia’s nuclear program have been made more than once.
