Since the beginning of conflict, accusations of Russian war crimes have been persistent. They were often based on bombing civilian areas. RedState reported that the world now has the first evidence of massive, face-to–face atrocities following the liberation of Bucha by Ukrainian forces. The city was previously held for several weeks by Russian forces.
Online, more videos and photos of people holding their hands behind their heads and with bullet holes in the head are being shared.
WARNING! Graphics content
New Srebrenica. The Ukrainian city of Bucha was in the hands of 🇷🇺 animals for several weeks. *Local civillians were being executed arbitrarily*, some with hands tied behind their backs, their bodies scattered in the streets of the city.#RussianWarCrimes pic.twitter.com/outzejdidO
— Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 2, 2022
This is the Ukrainian city — Bucha, after being deoccupied. The bodies of dead civilians are tied behind their backs and have bullet holes in the heads. This is 2022. What is it? Fascism or genocide. What’s this? What happened to America, Europe? pic.twitter.com/6PQRjslANZ
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) April 3, 2022
While I do not want to minimize the civilian deaths caused by aerial bombings, artillery bombardments and other actions that took place during the Russian invasion, it is impossible for me to deny the fact that these events have occurred. These actions can cause death just like the people in the images above. Yet, there is something different in regards to escalation when it comes to tying someone’s hands behind their back and blowing their brains out. Whatever happened in Bucha was obviously horrific, and it is something new compared to what we’ve seen before, at least on this scale.
With Russian forces retreating (though, the Biden administration is warning it’s just a repositioning), it leaves the question of response very much up in the air. The end of hostilities should be the top priority. However, not all vengeance can still be obtained while achieving that goal. Yet, it’s hard to imagine something of this scale and with such vivid evidence being brushed under the rug. There will need to be a response from the West, which includes the White House.
That will most likely manifest in further isolation of Russia, though I’m not sure there’s much meat left on the bone in regards to sanctions. Europe should cut all ties with Russia, which could lead to turmoil in the continent. Of course, that’s always been the danger of rapid globalization with no care for national security. For many elites, who believed that tying Western countries to Russia and China was only a good thing for them for so long, it’s now the time to let their guard down.
Regardless, it’s hard to imagine Vladimir Putin ever being re-welcomed into the family of nations once he calls it quits on his war of expansion. Unfortunately, I don’t think he cares. Tyrants understand one thing, and that’s force. Putin seems happy to manage his empire (including proxy countries like Belarus) within his bubble. It does indeed feel like the Cold War is over.
There are high stakes and both the immediate and longer-term consequences of this decision. Joe Biden is currently on another four-day weekend at his Delaware vacation home, so don’t expect a response from him until late Monday, and that’s assuming he speaks to reporters at all. This is the type of issue that the White House must address. There has to be something that is done going forward. The world may look drastically different in the coming years due to the way Putin chose to spread this war.