Zelenskiy accuses Russia of torture, war crimes in recaptured northeast

Record ID: 1689292

  • Title: Zelenskiy accuses Russia of torture, war crimes in recaptured northeast
  • Date: 16th September 2022
  • Summary: KYIV, UKRAINE (SEPTEMBER 16, 2022) (REUTERS) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY MEETING REUTERS CORRESPONDENT TOM BALMFORTH ZELENSKIY AND BALMFORTH DURING THE INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING: “Unfortunately, this looks like a bloody soap opera. After Bucha, we’re seeing similar sights in de-occupied regions of our country. In Izium, we found 450 dead people buried. But there are others, separate burials of many people. Tortured people. Entire families in certain areas.” ZELENSKIY DURING INTERVIEW ZELENSKIY SEEN ON CAMERA DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING: “There are investigative commissions with international partners, partnered (with Ukraine) commissions. Also, our prosecutors are working together with international ones. There are cases, evidence and various investigations are being conducted. Not only Ukrainian but international as well.” ZELENSKIY DURING INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING: “This (nuclear threat) is the beginning of completely destroying the Earth. I can’t even comprehend how special forces, intelligence, and the most powerful minds of the world can even give Russia a chance to consider this. Frankly, I feel like it won’t happen, but we can’t fully predict anything with this country (Russia).” ZELENSKIY DURING INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING: “Making a deal with them (with Russia) out of fear for what they can do would be even worse, the worst possible outcome. This would definitely be the beginning of World War III because it would allow countries like Russia or those who are considering something like this, or the leaders of those poor people who chose the authoritarian leader, to use these weapons and take territories, or threaten others with nuclear weapons, take territories and torture people. There can be no dialogue with those who threaten (to use) nuclear weapons. I think no conversation can be held with them.” ZELENSKIY SEEN ON DISPLAY ZELENSKIY DURING INTERVIEW
  • Embargoed: 30th September 2022 17:01
  • Keywords: Izium Kharkiv region Russian retreat Ukrainian President Ukrainian counter offensive advance war in Ukraine
  • Location: KYIV, UKRAINE
  • City: KYIV, UKRAINE
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA001588116092022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia on Friday (September 16) of torture and war crimes in Ukraine's northeast and likened the aftermath in the recaptured areas to Russia's withdrawal from near Kyiv months ago.
    In an interview at his presidential office, he told Reuters that many Ukrainians were buried at sites in the northeast including whole families and people who were tortured.
    "As of today, there are 450 dead people, buried. But there are others, separate burials of many people. Tortured people. Entire families in certain territories," he said.
    Asked if there was evidence of war crimes, he said: "All this is there. Investigative commissions with international partners, joint investigative commissions," he said.
    "There is some evidence, and assessments are being conducted, Ukrainian and international, and this is very important for us, for the world to recognise this," he said.
    The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Zelenskiy's allegations.
    Russia regularly denies targeting civilians during what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine and has said in the past that accusations of human rights abuses are a smear campaign.
    The governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Synhubov, told reporters on Friday at one of the burial sites in the city of Izium that some bodies exhumed there had been found with their hands tied behind their backs.
    Moscow has not commented on the mass burial site in Izium, which was a Russian frontline stronghold before Ukraine's counter-offensive forced its forces to flee.
    Zelenskiy, who visited Izium earlier this week, also reiterated during Friday's interview his appeal for foreign powers to step up weapons supplies to Ukraine, saying the outcome of the war hinged on their swift delivery.
    He lauded Ukraine's rapid counter-offensive but said it was too soon to talk of the tide turning in a war now well into its seventh month.
    "It's early to talk about an end to this war. I think it's early," he said.
    Speaking in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he had sent his armed forces into Ukraine on Feb. 24 as part of efforts to prevent what he said were Western efforts to "break up" Russia. He signalled that military operations in Ukraine would continue.
    (Production: Yurii Khomenko, Valentyn Ogirenko, Vladyslav Smilyanets, Sergiy Karazy, Sergiy Voloshyn, Andrii Pryimachenko)
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