Putin: Ukrainian army violates international law

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine’s armed forces of grossly violating international humanitarian law, including “extrajudicial killings of dissenters”. The leader of the Russian invasion of Ukraine expressed his criticism in a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Putin called on the two to pressure the Ukrainian government in Kiev to end these “criminal actions”. He also accused the Ukrainians of taking civilians hostage. These would also be used as human shields. In addition, the Ukrainian army would deploy heavy weapons near hospitals, schools and kindergartens, a Kremlin statement said. Putin went on to say that Ukrainian “nationalist battalions” are systematically disrupting rescue operations and intimidating civilians who tried to leave combat zones.

Putin’s allegations are partly the same reproaches Kiev makes about the Russian military.