Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[Jacob]

What are filtration camps?

My understanding: camps where Russia places non-combatant Ukrainians to sort them - some get exported to Russia and the UAE, some get released, some get imprisoned, some get tortured and killed etc.

[Malthus]

"Amnesty International deeply regrets the distress and anger that our press release on the Ukrainian military's fighting tactics has caused," it said in an email to Reuters.

This is getting very close to saying that Ukraine is purposely using human shields.

I just read it as a typical non-apology apology. 'We are sorry you feel that way'.

[Habbaku]

Yeah, that isn't an apology. 

[Jacob]

Yeah, that isn't an apology. 

I'm sorry you feel that way about the apology:(00

[crazy canuck]

For anyone who wants to read the full statement

Amnesty International deeply regrets the distress and anger that our press release on the Ukrainian military's fighting tactics has caused. Since Russian's invasion began in February 2022, Amnesty International has been rigorously documenting and reporting on war crimes and violations committed in Ukraine, speaking to hundreds of victims and survivors whose stories illuminate the brutal reality of Russia's war of aggression. We have challenged the world to demonstrate its solidarity with Ukrainians through concrete action, and we will continue to do so. 

Amnesty International's priority in this and in any conflict is ensuring that civilians are protected; indeed, this was our sole objective when releasing this latest piece of research. While we fully stand by our findings, we regret the pain caused and wish to clarify a few crucial points.

In our press release, we documented how in all 19 of the towns and villages we visited, we found instances where Ukrainian forces had located themselves right next to where civilians were living, thereby potentially putting them at risk from incoming Russian fire. We made this assessment based on the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL), which require all parties to a conflict to avoid locating, to the maximum extent feasible, military objectives within or near densely populated areas. The laws of war exist in part to protect civilians, and it is for this reason that Amnesty International urges governments to comply with them.

This does not mean that Amnesty International holds Ukrainian forces responsible for violations committed by Russian forces, nor that the Ukrainian military is not taking adequate precautions elsewhere in the country.

We must be very clear: Nothing we documented Ukrainian forces doing in any way justifies Russian violations. Russia alone is responsible for the violations it has committed against Ukrainian civilians. Amnesty's work over the last six months and our multiple briefings and reports on Russia's violations and war crimes reflect their scale and the gravity of their impact on civilians.

Amnesty International wrote to the Ukrainian government detailing our findings on 29 July. In our letter, we included GPS coordinates and other sensitive information about the locations, including schools and hospitals, where we had documented Ukrainian forces basing themselves among civilians. We did not make this information public in our press release due to the security risks it would pose to both Ukrainian forces and to the civilians we interviewed.

Amnesty International is not attempting to give the Ukrainian military detailed instructions regarding how they should operate – but we call on the relevant authorities to abide by their international humanitarian obligations in full.

Amnesty International's priority will always be ensuring that civilians' lives and human rights are protected during conflict.

[grumbler]

You are beyond hope, but for those who might read your posts and be misled as to what actually occurred, I encourage them to read the analysis they did of each incident their investigators found of violations of international law.  There may be a rebuttal to their conclusions, but it is not found in your posts.

I don't think that you are fooling anyone with your weasel dance.  The reason why AI doesn't actually cite which elements of international humanitarian law were being violated makes my case for me.  Check with a lawyer, as I suggested, and you will see that I am right.

[viper37]

They don't even mention a specific element of international law that was being violated.  They used mealy-mouthed phrases like "using hospitals for military purposes is a clear violation of international humanitarian law" when that is simply not true.  Rule 35 says that "Directing an attack against a zone established to shelter the wounded, the sick and civilians from the effects of hostilities is prohibited" but Rule 10 notes that "Civilian objects are protected against attack, unless and for such time as they are military objectives." 

IIRC, Russia was attacking hospitals and civilian complex way before Ukraine started fortifying such positions.

Cities, well, given what happened in Kershon, I am guessing it is a legitimate objective to try to defend cities.

Of course, ideally, we would all fight in the fields, like in the 17th-18th century and avoid in city fighting as much as possible, la guerre en dentelles style.  Not really realistic anymore.

Russia could still attack cities without shelling them indiscriminately with massive artillery barrage.

[jimmy olsen]

7 minute mark - Russians have taken 70-80 thousand casualties (combination of killed and wounded)

[Solmyr]

That AI report also caused a small scandal in Finland. A member of board of Amnesty Finland (a well-known anti-US demagogue) talked about the "Ukrainian civil war in 2014-2022" and used a Russian propaganda website as a source.

[Tamas]

That AI report also caused a small scandal in Finland. A member of board of Amnesty Finland (a well-known anti-US demagogue) talked about the "Ukrainian civil war in 2014-2022" and used a Russian propaganda website as a source.

I guess one advantage of such crisis is that it separates the wheat from the chaff.

[The Brain]

That AI report also caused a small scandal in Finland. A member of board of Amnesty Finland (a well-known anti-US demagogue) talked about the "Ukrainian civil war in 2014-2022" and used a Russian propaganda website as a source.

Is the person still on the board?

[mongers]

Is Putin's long term strategy now to hope the economies of Western liberal countries tank faster than he's already crashed the Russian economy?

[grumbler]

That AI report also caused a small scandal in Finland. A member of board of Amnesty Finland (a well-known anti-US demagogue) talked about the "Ukrainian civil war in 2014-2022" and used a Russian propaganda website as a source.

Well, given that there was a Ukrainian Civil War from roughly 2014-2022, I'm failing to see the outrage (other than the source he cited). 

[Sheilbh]

Sweden is sending instructors to the UK to help train Ukrainian soldiers. 120 in total.

According to Ilia Ponomarenko there's now British, Canadian, Dutch, Finnish and Swedish instructors training Ukrainian troops in the UK (I swear I read there were New Zealanders too) - but seems like good news and a scheme that is, hopefully, helpful to Ukraine.

Edit: Enough to worry that the Protestants are up to no good again

[Valmy]

Sweden is sending instructors to the UK to help train Ukrainian soldiers. 120 in total.

According to Ilia Ponomarenko there's now British, Canadian, Dutch, Finnish and Swedish instructors training Ukrainian troops in the UK (I swear I read there were New Zealanders too) - but seems like good news and a scheme that is, hopefully, helpful to Ukraine.

Edit: Enough to worry that the Protestants are up to no good again

Yeah that does sound like, besides the Canadians, who would be recruited into an army to put down an Irish revolt