Instigating Violence Against Russians Harms Ukraine's Image

Senior Advisor Alexey Arestovich on Monday qualified calls for the killing of Russian children or the castration of prisoners of war as unacceptable. He said such a clamor for violence against Russians damages Ukraine's image as a civilized European country. 

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In light of two recent public scandals, the top official made these remarks, demanding Ukrainians respect the Geneva Convention and the laws of war. He said that Ukraine must act strictly under the principles of the Geneva Convention, which establishes international legal standards for humanitarian treatment in war.   

Arestovich referred to two outbursts by public figures that have been broadcast in the last week. For its part, doctor Gennadiy Druzhenko referred to Russian prisoners of war as cockroaches, revealing on television the order he gave to his volunteer unit to castrate all-male Russian prisoners of war. On the other hand, the presenter, Fahruddin Sharafmal, incited the extermination of Russian children, stating that this is how Russia will perish.

Both Gennadiy Druzhenko and Fahruddin Sharafmal later apologized, claiming it was a fit of anger. On Monday, the doctor pointed out that neither he nor his colleagues had ever mutilated anyone or had any plans to do so. Sharafmal claimed that his instigation of violence was due to an outburst of anger at the death of a friend during the military offensive.

  

Arestovich has been reporting daily on the situation in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. On Monday, he reported the destruction by the Ukrainian military of four out of the ten Russian forces, three on the ground and one in the air. 

Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine last February 24 in the wake of a long-running conflict taking place in the region since the 2014 coup d'état, when the democratically elected government was overthrown by forces seeking to make the country a member of the NATO alliance. Ukraine's non-compliance with the terms of the Minsk agreements, and Russia's eventual recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, are also key issues in understanding the current situation in Ukraine.  

Russia has urged Kiev to officially proclaim that it will never join the U.S.-led military bloc. Ukraine, for its part, insists that Russia's offensive was unprovoked and has also rejected claims that it was planning to retake the Donetsk and Lugansk republics by force.