KYIV: The Ukrainian military has paraded captured Russian soldiers before the media and made them recite repentances for their invasion, prompting the Red Cross to warn prisoners must not be mistreated.
Eyes red, faces gaunt and in some cases scratched, 10 young Russians in green fatigues were lined up before the press and cameras at an event attended by AFP on March 4.
Some of them stared at their boots and avoided looking at the cameras, while others appeared more at ease.
It was the second such act in a week organized by Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service.
Despite being widely recognized as the victim as Russia bombards its cities, Kyiv risks ceding moral ground over the February 24 Russian invasion to Moscow, which has accused it of torturing detainees.
“Prisoners of war and detained civilians must be treated with dignity,” the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement.
Prisoners “are absolutely protected against ill-treatment and exposure to public curiosity including images circulating publicly on social media,” it said.
The Ukrainian defense ministry and the SBU did not respond to questions from AFP about their methods.
Presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich called in an online video for “humane treatment of prisoners.” He reminded viewers that Ukraine’s western partners were watchful on the subject.
Blindfolded with tape, the soldiers were pushed along on single file, holding one another by the shoulders to keep from falling.
They were then groomed and taken into a room where they were shown videos of Russian bombardments, while a Ukrainian officer named the cities being bombed.
“Look what your army is doing,” the officer said. “They would tell your parents that you died on maneuvers, not that you were here.”
Each soldier then faced the cameras and stated his name, his unit and how he had entered Ukraine.
Each said that he was voluntarily stepping up to condemn Russia’s invasion — using the same phrases as the other soldiers.
Each soldier said he was being well treated and ended by calling on Russians not to believe their President Vladimir Putin’s “lies.”
Russia has not reacted specifically to these appearances, but more generally its defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov on February 27 said Russian prisoners of war were facing “torture.” He compared them to victims of “the German Nazis and their henchmen.”
The Ukrainian military has set up a website to arrange for the mothers of captured Russian soldiers to come to pick them up in Ukraine, via the Polish border.
“Unlike Putin’s fascists, we Ukrainians do not make war against mothers and their captured children,” Ukraine’s defense ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine’s military command said 200 Russian prisoners of war have been captured since February 24.
Russia’s defense ministry in turn says it has captured 572 Ukrainians.
The figures cannot be verified. The ICRC told AFP it could not exercise its right under the Geneva Convention to visit the prisoners because of the current fighting.
Ukraine parades captured Russian soldiers for cameras
https://arab.news/mqz4h
Ukraine parades captured Russian soldiers for cameras
- Eyes red, faces gaunt and in some cases scratched, 10 young Russians in green fatigues were lined up before the press
- Ukraine’s military command said 200 Russian prisoners of war have been captured since February 24
Trump says Greenland will ‘work out’ after Denmark fails to bridge gap
- Trump has appeared emboldened on Greenland — which he views as in the US backyard — since ordering a deadly January 3 attack in Venezuela that removed president Nicolas Maduro
WASHINGTON, United States: US President Donald Trump held open the possibility Wednesday for a resolution on his designs over Greenland after Denmark’s top diplomat said he failed to change the administration’s mind on wanting to conquer the island.
The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland, an autonomous territory under Copenhagen’s sovereignty, met at the White House with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a meeting the visitors had requested to clear up “misunderstandings” after Trump’s bellicose language toward the fellow NATO member.
Trump, speaking after the meeting which he did not attend, for the first time sounded conciliatory on Greenland, acknowledging Denmark’s interests even if he again said he was not ruling out any options.
“I have a very good relationship with Denmark, and we’ll see how it all works out. I think something will work out,” Trump said without explaining further.
He again said Denmark was powerless if Russia or China wanted to occupy Greenland, but added: “There’s everything we can do.”
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, speaking after leaving the White House, said a US takeover of Greenland was “absolutely not necessary.”
“We didn’t manage to change the American position. It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland,” Lokke told reporters.
“We therefore still have a fundamental disagreement, but we also agree to disagree.”
He said the issue was “very emotional” for the people of Greenland and Denmark, a steadfast US ally whose troops died alongside Americans in Afghanistan and, controversially, Iraq.
“Ideas that would not respect territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of self-determination of the Greenlandic people are, of course, totally unacceptable,” Lokke said.
He nonetheless said the tone was “constructive” and said the sides would form a committee that would meet within weeks to see if there was possible headway.
Referring to the British prime minister who trumpeted his diplomacy with Hitler, Lokke said, “I am not a Chamberlain to say “Peace for our time,” but we must seize the opportunities that present themselves.”
Mocking tone
While the talks were underway, the White House posted on X: “Which way, Greenland man?“
The post included a drawing of two dogsleds — one heading toward the White House and a huge US flag, and the other toward Chinese and Russian flags over a lightning-bathed Kremlin and Great Wall of China.
Neither country has claimed Greenland, and Lokke said no Chinese ship had been spotted there in a decade and that there were no major Chinese investments.
Denmark promised ahead of the meeting to ramp up its military presence further in the vast, sparsely populated and strategically located island.
Trump has derided recent Danish efforts to increase security for Greenland as amounting to “two dogsleds.” Denmark says it has invested almost $14 billion in Arctic security.
Denmark also announced immediate military exercises that will include aircraft, vessels and soldiers, with Sweden also participating.
In another show of solidarity with Denmark following Trump’s threats, Germany and France both said Wednesday they will send troops to Greenland. German’s defense ministry said it would send a 13-person team.
Signs of relief
On the quiet streets of the capital Nuuk, red and white Greenlandic flags flew in shop windows, on apartment balconies, and on cars and buses, in a show of national unity during the talks.
Ivaana Egede Larsen, 43, said she felt relief that the meeting appeared to be cordial.
“I am more calm now, and I feel more safe. I had felt very much unsafe lately,” she said.
In Copenhagen, Thomas Fallesen, 56, voiced similar sentiments.
“They are now at least talking together instead of talking through the press. I think it’s a very positive thing,” he said.
Vance, who slammed Denmark as a “bad ally” during an uninvited visit to Greenland last year, is known for a hard edge, which was on display when he publicly berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last February.
Wednesday’s meeting, however, was closed to the press, meaning there was no on-camera confrontation.
Trump has appeared emboldened on Greenland — which he views as in the US backyard — since ordering a deadly January 3 attack in Venezuela that removed president Nicolas Maduro.
