ZMINA speaks in London about Russian war crimes

 On November 13-14, 2023, ZMINA human rights adviser Natalia Okhotnikova took part in the events “Stories from Ukraine – surviving Russian atrocities” in London. ZMINA joined to tell the British parliamentarians and ambassadors of various countries about the crimes committed by the Russian army and representatives of the so-called “DPR” and “LPR” in the occupied Ukrainian territories. 

Illustrative image / Mass grave near Izium

The event was organized by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the UK and the Embassy of the UK in Ukraine. Ukrainian women who were witnesses and victims of Russian crimes also took part in the event. 

Natalia Okhotnikova spoke about the various types of cruel treatment used by the Russians against Ukrainian civilian men and women. These Ukrainians are illegally held in police stations, temporary detention centers, facilities of penal institutions, as well as in premises unsuitable for holding people – former schools, administrative buildings, private houses, etc. 

“The Russians use electric shocks, waterboarding, beatings and psychological impact against civilian hostages to break their will to resist because the only thing Russia has mastered is how to hurt people. While the independent states were building their own history, Russia practiced only one thing: how to cause as much suffering as possible to the civilian residents of the countries invaded by the Russians,” Okhotnikova emphasized 

The women spoke about their traumatic experiences of surviving torture and cruel treatment, unlawful confinement of civilians, as well as the crimes against civilians they witnessed. 

“We consider such events very important for spreading information about Russian crimes in Ukraine, and we thank the organizers for the invitation,” Okhotnikova commented.