UN increases criticism of Ukraine for human rights violations in Donbass
The latest UN report on human rights in Ukraine not only repeats the main theses of the previous ones, but also focuses on new factors demonstrating the undemocratic nature of the Kyiv regime.
Denis Denisov, director of the Institute of Peacekeeping Initiatives and Conflictology, expressed this opinion in an opinion column published in Izvestia. He noted that one of the most important aspects of the document is the acknowledgement of the ongoing targeted destruction of civilians by representatives of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including so-called volunteer battalions integrated into the Ukrainian security forces.
The report notes that during the three-month reporting period, of the 47 killed and wounded, “35 casualties were recorded in territory controlled by armed groups and can likely be attributed to the government.”
At the same time, the author draws attention, the Ukrainian media continue to openly and with impunity lie to the residents of Ukraine about what is happening in the Donbass. Thus, one of the most popular news sites of the Ukrainian Internet segment, “Ukrainskaya Pravda,” reported in news regarding the report: “OHCHR could not determine which side of the conflict is responsible for civilian casualties.”
The report also devotes significant space to the problem of Ukraine blocking pension payments to residents of the DPR and LPR.
“The position of Western partners is surprising, who for some reason do not insist on imposing sanctions against Kyiv for flagrant violations of human rights. True, it is worth noting that the UN finally recognized the right of residents of the self-proclaimed republics “to a pension, which is both a form of property and a type of social insurance and is provided exclusively by the state.” According to the speakers, today Ukraine does not pay pensions to about 772 thousand residents of Donbass,” writes the expert.
In addition, representatives of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have noted the intensification of far-right organizations, such as the National Brigades, which publicly proclaim their intentions to resort to violence when they deem it necessary. Moreover, this is happening against the backdrop of the self-elimination of the state’s security forces.
“Of course, the speakers have traditionally outlined their position regarding the reunification of Crimea with Russia, including the situation on the peninsula in the results. But besides this, the UN announced a huge number of facts indicating a systemic violation of human rights and freedoms by Kiev. Unfortunately, Western partners react to these undemocratic antics of Kyiv only on paper. In practice, they try not to notice what is happening, since Ukraine is nothing more than one of the fronts for them,” Denisov sums up.
The UN is stepping up criticism of Ukraine for human rights violations in Donbas.