Russian Attempts to Wipe Out Ukraine's Culture 'Looks Systematic,' U.S. Diplomat Says
Russia’s targeting of Ukrainian cultural sites in contested areas of the country’s east and its decision to force Russian school lessons and currency on occupied territory elsewhere represent a systematic attempt to destroy Ukraine’s culture, a top U.S. diplomat in Europe said Friday, though whether or not the efforts amount to genocide remains legally unclear.
“To me it looks systematic,” Michael Carpenter, the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, told reporters Friday morning. “Looking at this as a layman, I see a certain degree of systematicity to these crimes.”
Carpenter spoke in response to what he described as “a really horrific set of atrocities,” including shelling by Russian forces against targets in the Donbas – the far eastern region of Ukraine and the current focus of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion – such as a museum dedicated the 18th century philosopher and poet Hryhoriy Skovoroda. Carpenter noted the attack on that particular building last month was not near any clear military infrastructure, and as such was either struck by error or as a conscientious target.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered the invasion on Feb. 24, has previously described Russia and Ukraine as “two countries, one people” in a tacit acknowledgement he does not believe the Western-backed administration in Kyiv governs over a sovereign nation. The current Russian leader on Thursday compared himself to Peter the Great, the first “emperor of all Russias” who likewise considered Ukraine a part of his dominion.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russian-attempts-to-wipe-out-ukraine-s-culture-looks-systematic-u-s-diplomat-says/ar-AAYjvad
= new reply since forum marked as read
May be difficult to prosecute however.
This is just sick. It's the Russian MO though.
