kravietz 🦇 on Nostr: Before yesterday, #Russia 155. Marines Brigade executed nine #Ukraine soldiers who ...
Before yesterday, #Russia 155. Marines Brigade executed nine #Ukraine soldiers who surrendered and thus were under protection of Geneva Conventions. They surrendered, were disarmed, stripped to their underwear - which are common procedures when taking prisoners - and then shot to death at point blank, which is a war crime. Unfortunately, that was not an isolated incident but a repeated one in series, where there was a clear indication of Russian command orders to kill surrendering soldiers. 155. Marines are the guys who put severed heads of Ukrainian soldiers on pikes a month ago.
Unfortunately, the only party that has actual means of enforcing humanitarian law on Russians is the army of Ukraine, because it’s the only party that has instruments to respond to the perpetrators right on the ground. The increasing Russian violence originates in impunity - if one side sticks to the Geneva Conventions all the time and the other doesn’t, Russian soldiers have literally zero motive to comply with any laws. Because why would they, if when regardless of what they do, the worst thing that awaits them is a comfortable life in Ukrainian prison camp? A signal that specific units of Ukrainian army decided to speak in a language comprehensible to Russians, was just posted today in the form of a highly blurred video (a still frame below) with the following commentary:
The soldiers of the 82nd separate air assault brigade of the Bukovyna continue to eliminate Russian marines in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. It can be said that the Ukrainian paratroopers have put this process on a regular basis. Recently, the Bukovinian Maroon Berets ambushed the murderers from the 155th Separate Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, who systematically violate the law of war. The hunt for these monsters was successful: none of the Russian scoundrel marines survived. To be continued.
Are there any alternatives? In short, no. After the Russian executions there was a lot of outrage among international media and calls to UN, ICRC and OSCE to “do something”. Just like the calls to “do something” with Russia targeting civilian objects, these remained ignored as these institutions are toothless - any laws rely on mutual recognition by all involved parties, which is supported by enforcement. If a participant of the law refuses to recognise the law, they are forced to comply because otherwise they have no reason to comply.
International law is an exception here as it has no enforcement - there’s no “world government” and no “world army” to enforce the Geneva Conventions. The international law is the only law that is quasi-enforced exclusively by unilateral actions of peers, such as countries refusing to deal with the offenders (read: economic and diplomatic sanctions) or military means (a country or alliance invading the offender). Therefore UN, USA or EU have very weak influence on Russian army other than starting a full-scale armed conflict, which they’re trying to avoid at any cost so far. But Ukrainian army is already at war with Russians, which means it has an unique opportunity to speak to Russian commanders in the only way they understand - the language of force - and convince them that recognition of Geneva is in mutual interest of both warring parties. If you want Russia to stick to Geneva Conventions in Ukraine, #Syria, #Africa or a hypothetical conflict on the eastern border of #NATO, the only way is to support Ukraine’s armed forces.
Unfortunately, the only party that has actual means of enforcing humanitarian law on Russians is the army of Ukraine, because it’s the only party that has instruments to respond to the perpetrators right on the ground. The increasing Russian violence originates in impunity - if one side sticks to the Geneva Conventions all the time and the other doesn’t, Russian soldiers have literally zero motive to comply with any laws. Because why would they, if when regardless of what they do, the worst thing that awaits them is a comfortable life in Ukrainian prison camp? A signal that specific units of Ukrainian army decided to speak in a language comprehensible to Russians, was just posted today in the form of a highly blurred video (a still frame below) with the following commentary:
The soldiers of the 82nd separate air assault brigade of the Bukovyna continue to eliminate Russian marines in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. It can be said that the Ukrainian paratroopers have put this process on a regular basis. Recently, the Bukovinian Maroon Berets ambushed the murderers from the 155th Separate Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, who systematically violate the law of war. The hunt for these monsters was successful: none of the Russian scoundrel marines survived. To be continued.
Are there any alternatives? In short, no. After the Russian executions there was a lot of outrage among international media and calls to UN, ICRC and OSCE to “do something”. Just like the calls to “do something” with Russia targeting civilian objects, these remained ignored as these institutions are toothless - any laws rely on mutual recognition by all involved parties, which is supported by enforcement. If a participant of the law refuses to recognise the law, they are forced to comply because otherwise they have no reason to comply.
International law is an exception here as it has no enforcement - there’s no “world government” and no “world army” to enforce the Geneva Conventions. The international law is the only law that is quasi-enforced exclusively by unilateral actions of peers, such as countries refusing to deal with the offenders (read: economic and diplomatic sanctions) or military means (a country or alliance invading the offender). Therefore UN, USA or EU have very weak influence on Russian army other than starting a full-scale armed conflict, which they’re trying to avoid at any cost so far. But Ukrainian army is already at war with Russians, which means it has an unique opportunity to speak to Russian commanders in the only way they understand - the language of force - and convince them that recognition of Geneva is in mutual interest of both warring parties. If you want Russia to stick to Geneva Conventions in Ukraine, #Syria, #Africa or a hypothetical conflict on the eastern border of #NATO, the only way is to support Ukraine’s armed forces.