WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) – The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has accused the Russian troops of genocide in view of atrocities against civilians. “It is indeed genocide,” Selenskyj told the US broadcaster CBS on Sunday, according to the translator, in response to a question from the moderator. “We are citizens of Ukraine and do not want to be subjected to the policies of the Russian Federation. And that is why we are being destroyed and annihilated. And this is happening in Europe in the 21st century.” Not only the Russian President Vladimir Putin, but also the Russian military responsible for atrocities should be held accountable on the basis of the applicable law.
Selenskyj showed disbelief at the violence. “If we find people with their hands tied behind their backs and they’ve been beheaded, I don’t understand.” It is not enough for the “criminals” to kill children, they would torture them on top of that. After the withdrawal of Russian troops from the north-west of the Ukrainian capital, footage of corpses on the streets of Bucha caused international outrage.
Zelenskyj said his duty as president is still to negotiate with Putin. “There is no other way than dialogue if we don’t want hundreds of thousands, millions, to die.” He called for the withdrawal of all Russian troops behind the borders that existed before the February invasion./cy/DP/nas