The Ukrainian military authorities have released investigative videos of Russian prisoners who fell into their hands, including a pilot with a bruised face and a bloodied chest, who showed his captives items, including his list of targets – they claim, civilian targets.
Meanwhile, the authorities took another step, bringing Russian prisoners of war to the Interfax news agency in Kiev to showcase them to the gathered journalists, and to tell the cameras about their mission and performance, which claimed the lives of civilians and how they were captured.
In a kind of press conference, whose participants of course do not do so voluntarily, even though they claim so, and expect from them statements that will embarrass their senders. “We acted like fascists,” says one of the seven speakers, when asked if he thought about the fact that among the victims are probably Russian-speaking Ukrainians, and those who have relatives in Russia.
The local media is of course more aggressive, but it should be mentioned again and again that such press reasons are contrary to the Geneva Convention, according to which prisoners must not be used for propaganda purposes, voluntarily or involuntarily. The press investigates sources, not prisoners.
Among the things that Putin, who aspires to return to Ukraine and also wants to be loved here, has already lost – is the appreciation of Russian-speaking Ukrainians, and even of Ukrainian-Russians. There is nothing to talk about love. Many of them now show an attitude of disgust towards him. Derogatory nicknames towards him are heard from Russians or Russian-speakers in Ukraine. “When Putin comes, we will properly cripple him and spit in his face,” said Alyosha, an engineer in Lvov who married a local Ukrainian and fathered a girl.
“Matyusha, an 80-year-old Russian living alone in a village about 20 km from Lvov since her husband’s death about ten years ago, refuses to leave her chickens and rabbits. Him and I arranged all the bullets, “she says.” This is Nikolai’s most important legacy. When the Russians come here, they will welcome them inside. “