Reznikov on Amnesty International: Attempts to question Ukrainians’ right to resist genocide are a perversion

ALONA MAZURENKO – THURSDAY, 4 AUGUST 2022, 16:34

Oleksii Reznikov, the Minister of Defence of Ukraine, believes that the Amnesty International report shows that the organisation has "lost common sense", and any attempts to justify the genocide of Ukrainians and call the right to resist it into question are a perversion.

Source: Reznikov on Facebook

Quote: "Any attempts to call into question Ukrainians’ right to resist genocide, to defend their families and homes, to defend their lives and those of their children, and to resist the actions of Russia as a terrorist state, are a perversion, no matter what legal constructions they are dressed up in.

Any attempts to equate the unprovoked Russian aggression with the Ukrainian defence, even in passing, as was done in the Amnesty International report, are evidence that the organisation has lost common sense and is trying to ruin its own authority.

Ukraine is a rule-of-law state. We are analysing and assessing war events comprehensively, including from a legal point of view, as our obligations require.

But we won’t allow anyone to defame our army, our defenders. I say that as a lawyer."

Details: Reznikov stressed that the selfless and heroic actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are the only reason why hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are still alive and have a home.

The Minister also listed instances of atrocities committed by the Russian occupiers:

• The Russians have used every kind of weapon except nuclear weapons against civilians.
• The Russians are committing mass murders of prisoners of war.
• The Russians are committing mass rapes of women and children and are maiming people, looting, and destroying all living things.
• The Russians are committing a crime of genocide against the Ukrainian nation.

 Background: 

•         On 4 August, the human rights organisation Amnesty International claimed that the Ukrainian military, which is holding back the Russian invasion, is endangering the civilian population by establishing bases and locating weapons in schools and hospitals.
•         At the same time, Amnesty’s website does not say a word about the mass murder of the Ukrainian soldiers held at Olenivka, nor does it condemn the actions of the invaders in killing the captured defenders of Ukraine.
•         The President's Office responded that the only threat to Ukrainians’ lives is the Russian army, and that Amnesty International’s claims are nothing less than participation in Russia's discreditation campaign against Ukraine.
•         Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that he was outraged by Amnesty International’s claim and considers it unfair.