Soldiers or Civilians, ‘All Ukrainians Deserve to Die’ – Say Russians

You wouldn’t treat your own dog like this, but Russians have historically maligned Ukrainians like the Nazis did – regarding them as untermensch who deserve to die.

Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya, permanent representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, speaking in the Third Committee on December 17, 2024, about “Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives,” described the inhuman, horrific conditions facing Ukrainians in their own land as Russian cutthroats pursue their war against Ukraine.

Kyslytsya recounted to the representatives of the member-states one civilian’s description of how insecure the lives of everyday Ukrainians are: "They (the Russians) don’t care whether you’re a soldier or a civilian—what matters is that you’re Ukrainian, which means, in their eyes, you deserve to die." The Ukrainian diplomat pointed out that the woman, sharing her harrowing experiences of living under Russian occupation, is a resident of Rubizhne, a city in the Luhansk oblast of eastern Ukraine, situated on the left side of the Donets River.

“While she and her family were fortunate to escape to Ukrainian-controlled territory, her testimony reflects the grim reality faced by millions of Ukrainians in areas under Russian control,” Kyslytsya said. “This is not an isolated story. It is part of a well-documented and deliberate policy by Russia to terrorize and dehumanize Ukrainians.”

He cited another example from a brochure titled “Practical Recommendations to the Participant in Combat Actions” published on December 12, 2022, on the official website of the Russian Ministry of Defense under the title “Who Are Ukrainians?” 

“[…] Someday, … they [Ukrainians] will become Russians again. But for now, they are enemies—cruel and treacherous. This means that we need to beat them until they put their hands up, without stopping, until our victory,” he read.

Kyslytsya pointed out that these quotes highlight “the atmosphere of fear, repression, and lawlessness imposed on Ukrainians under Russian occupation.” Since 2014, when Russia seized the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, the temporarily occupied territories have become “zones of impunity, where gross human rights violations and war crimes are systematic and pervasive.”

Fortunately, he noted, unlike previous Russian wars against Ukraine, Russia’s war crimes in this one are thoroughly documented. 

“This extensive documentation will undoubtedly support the pursuit of justice and ensure that all perpetrators are held accountable. I therefore urge all alleged war criminals not to place false hope in evading responsibility, but to actively cooperate with investigations and provide their testimonies,” he said.

Reports from the United Nations, including the International Commission of Inquiry, and findings from other international monitors credibly document Russia’s widespread and deliberate perpetration of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and gross human rights violations and abuses.

“These include summary executions, enforced disappearances, torture, sexual and gender-based violence, and inhumane treatment of civilian detainees and prisoners of war,” Kyslytsya detailed, specifically pointing out that “These atrocities are not random acts of violence, but part of a calculated and systematic policy aimed at erasing Ukrainian identity—obliterating cultural and historical markers while forcibly indoctrinating those who remain.”

He explained that the Ukrainian civilian population has no recourse because those who “dare to oppose face arbitrary detention, torture, extrajudicial executions, and the additional threat of having their children taken away or deported to Russia.”

To offer some form of solace and help, Kyslytsya said the Ukrainian delegation is proposing a draft resolution titled “Situation of human rights in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.”

According to him, the resolution aims to maintain the General Assembly and the UN’s focused attention on the dire human rights situation and provide essential protection for those affected, particularly the thousands of Ukrainian children forcibly deported or displaced by Russia. It calls on the Russia to immediately and unconditionally return all Ukrainian children, including those unlawfully adopted or placed in foster care. Ukraine and its partners will continue to fight for the safe return of every child.

“The resolution serves as a practical tool for the UN for ongoing monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation in the temporarily occupied territory, providing a crucial mechanism for accountability,” he said.

However, Kyslytsya added, “the only way to guarantee full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for the residents of these territories is their de-occupation from Russia. Restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders is not only a matter of justice for Ukrainians but also essential for European and global security.”

In other words, liberating Ukrainian lands currently held illegally by Russia and allowing the nation to live freely.

He thanked the 49 member-states that have co-sponsored the draft and called on all “responsible” member-states to stand with Ukraine by voting in favor of the draft resolution.

Despite the world’s hope for negotiations to end the war, in the words of the late Israeli prime minister Gold Meier, how can you talk to someone who wants you dead while you want to live.