Ihor Sapozhko, the first citizen of Brovary, a Ukrainian city of about 140,000, condemned what he had learned from some Witnesses who fled the areas occupied by Russian soldiers: “I Russian soldiers They rape Ukrainian women. We know it’s happening, so many of those fleeing the occupied territories are whispering it. It’s a serious problem, we still don’t understand how widespread it is. We are already aware of specific cases.” The 45yearold mayor then added that he learned from the stories of those who managed to escape and that the commanders themselves would incite soldiers to rape the wives, wives and daughters of Ukrainian civilian volunteers or militants, locked in their prison homes while men take up arms to resist the enemy. In addition, several sources have reported that soldiers captured during the conflict at Hostomel Airport early in the war were raped on multiple occasions. The exact number of women we are talking about is not known, also because the struggle continues in this place.
After the rape they are killed
As Corriere reported, the victims in question could not say how much they had suffered as they were hanged or cut into pieces to hide evidence after the violence. Violence against women as a weapon of ethnic cleansing was also a feature of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia that took place in Chechnya, Syria, where Bashar Assad’s soldiers often used it as a method of torture in prisons. About 5,000 Yazidi women were kidnapped by ISIS in Iraq in 2014 and used as sex slaves. Since territories of Ukraine are occupied, the topic is sexual abuse it becomes more and more present. Volodymyr Andriiets, doctor at the local hospital, said: “Many of the injured and their families who arrive here at our hospital speak about the rapes. We’re pretty sure they will happen. However, we still have no medical evidence that direct witnesses and victims are trapped in the areas occupied by the advancing Russian army. Many dead are buried between the houses in makeshift graves.
The end of the mayor’s friend
But Mayor Ihor Sapozhko has many other stories to tell, including those of a longtime friend of his, 36yearold Oleskiy Zdorovts, a former city secretary, and his young wife Maryna. Local website Kyiv.tsn.ua said on March 10 that Russian soldiers broke into her house in the village of Nova Bohdanivka and killed the 36yearold. His mayor friend said: “The neighbors then called me to tell me about Maryna’s rape. They found her naked and confused next to her young son. But still not yes.” The neighbors then called me to tell me about Maryna’s rape. They found her naked and confused next to her young son. But we still haven’t managed to get it to safety.” I managed to get it to safety.” The name of the rapist, Russian officer Mikhail Romanov, is said to have been published on social media. The man, who also sexually abused other women, has already been killed by Ukrainian militants.
In a nearby village, Baryshivka, another woman was reportedly raped after Russian soldiers saw some photos of her husband holding a gun on their cell phone. About twenty men are said to have raped her. Also in the village of Valyka Dymerka a similar story. Sapozhko explained that they are now advising the relatives of their fighters to hide or destroy cell phones, photos, military items and computers. “It is now clear that Russian intelligence is working with the army to attack our resistance,” he said.