The way Putin wants to legitimize the attack on Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin has told his country's people that he wants disarmament in order to start his unilateral war in Ukraine; As well as wanting to free its government from Nazism.
President Putin has claimed that the Ukrainian government was carrying out "genocide" in Donetsk and Luhansk, two regions controlled by pro-Russian separatists. These two regions together are known as Danbas. Ukrainian troops have been fighting separatists in the region since 2014.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began shortly after the capture of parts of Danbas by pro-Russian separatists. They did not stop at just occupying; It also unilaterally declared Donetsk and Luhansk as people's republics.
A few years ago, at least 14,000 people were killed in clashes between the separatists and Ukrainian forces. Among them are army members and rebel fighters; So are civilians.
In 2015, in the wake of the massacre, President Putin referred to the "smell of genocide."
Later that year, a ceasefire was signed between the two warring factions in Minsk, the capital of neighboring Belarus. But in the seven years since then, there have been sporadic shootings between the Ukrainian army and separatists in Danbas. This was even more so until Russia's "peacekeeping operation" in Ukraine began on February 24.
Russia has argued that what is happening to the Danvas is genocide. It is Moscow's responsibility to take steps to help its residents.
Alexander Hinton, director of the Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights at Rotgers University in New Jersey, said: The international community has a moral and legal obligation to prevent genocide. That is why genocide has a special significance for the world. '
Definition of genocide
The term genocide was coined by Polish lawyer Rafael Lemkin in the 1940's. He lobbied the United Nations in 1948 to declare genocide a crime.
The United Nations has given a definition of genocide. It is said that genocide is an act carried out with the intention of destroying a nation, a small ethnic group or a religious group, in whole or in part. In this definition, the United Nations has not only raised the issue of mass killings; This includes destroying their livelihood, raising the child in isolation from their parents and preventing the birth of new members in the group.
Genocide is considered an exceptionally heinous crime; Especially after the Holocaust. Although such strong allegations have been made against the opposition at various times, in rare cases the party admits them considering the issue of national honor.
Russia's investigation
Russia reopened a criminal case on February 16 over the discovery of four mass graves in Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraine. Moscow has promised to investigate whether genocide in those two areas actually took place.
Anatoly Antonov, Russia's ambassador to the United States, questioned on Facebook: Who were killed because they thought their mother tongue was Russian; What could be the explanation? '
At the same time, Anatoly Antonov accused Washington of backing the "genocide" in Ukraine. Earlier, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations raised the issue of atrocities committed by Ukrainian troops there. However, US officials have dismissed Russia's allegations. They claim that these are false propaganda campaigns in Moscow.
Russia's human rights lawyer Natalia Sekretareva told Al-Jazeera that if there were no large-scale civilian casualties in the conflict, only a few people could be killed, it would be acceptable under international human rights law. Depending on the context, other attacks may result in war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide.
The lawyer reiterated the UN's definition of how genocide can be defined. According to him, genocide is carried out only for the purpose of eradicating a group.
Natalia Sekretareva believes that Russia needs to prove that its government has worked to destroy certain populations (pro-Russian separatists) in the region before claiming that Ukraine has carried out the genocide.
Natalia's question is, "The truth is that the deaths that occur during armed conflict are not genocide. Especially that area (Danbas) has not been under the control of Ukraine since 2015. How can a country carry out genocide in an area where they cannot enter? '
If a conflict does not result in a large number of civilian casualties, only a few, it can be accepted under international human rights law. Depending on the context, other attacks may result in war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide.
—Natalia Sekretareva, Russian human rights lawyer
Russia's report on the genocide
Russia's state-run media RT has published a special report on the genocide in Ukraine. There are issues raised by the Russian ambassador to the UN about the atrocities committed by Danbas. Witnesses' statements also highlighted civilian casualties in shelling, rocket attacks and shelling.
Most of the images in the report were from 2014 to 2015. At that time the conflict with Danbas was at its peak. However, some recent statements are also in the report.
Experts say eyewitness accounts of the RT report paint a picture of the plight of Danbas residents. However, both sides in the conflict have little chance of questioning the civilian casualties. However, the report did not provide any indication that the Ukrainian military operation against the Russians was part of an organized campaign to eradicate them.
Alexander Hinton, director of the Rotgers University's Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, said that since 2014, it has been clearly documented that both sides (the Ukrainian military and pro-Russian separatists) have violated human rights. At the same time innocent people have been killed and tortured.
Alexander Hinton says there is no hard evidence that the Danbass massacre was carried out. "Russia has provided vague information on mass graves and attacks on civilians," he said. If they had evidence, you can be sure that Russia would have brought it forward long ago. "
Russia has filed a lawsuit in the European Court of Human Rights in 2021, alleging war crimes committed by Ukraine's military and nationalist forces. The country also formed special committees in the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics to investigate the incident. The committees said 292 bodies were recovered from mass graves in these areas.
However, Truth Hounds, a Ukrainian organization, said in a statement that only one person had claimed that his brother's grave had been buried there. No statement from anyone else's family members has come up in independent media, investigations or interviews.
All UN countries agreed in 2005 to adopt the Responsibility to Protect (PITP) policy to stop genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Pitupi was issued in Libya in 2011. At the time, the country was in the throes of an uprising against dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The Western military alliance, NATO, has declared Libya's skies under Pitupi a no-fly zone.
Responsibility for protection
All UN countries agreed in 2005 to adopt the Responsibility to Protect (PITP) policy to stop genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Pitupi was issued in Libya in 2011. At the time, the country was in the throes of an uprising against dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The Western military alliance, NATO, has declared Libya's skies under Pitupi a no-fly zone.
In Libya, the Pitupi policy was issued to protect civilians. It later diverted the original purpose and facilitated a change of power in the country. In Ukraine, too, Putin's goal is to bring about a change of government. He has already called on Ukrainian troops to oust President Volodymyr Zelensky.
If Russia has evidence in support of the genocide, then why has the country not made its case to the UN? That's what Russia should have done, Alexander Hinton said.
Russia claims that Ukraine is attacking Hinton's comments, Russian ethnic minorities and speakers. Russia has said it has an obligation to protect them. This statement of Moscow may seem logical. But again, these would mean that you have to spend for these processes. This is because the purpose of Moscow is not to save lives; Rather occupy Ukraine.