The military situation in East Ukraine is very bad – according to Ukrainian foreign minister – and the Russian army has just entered the Kreminna district, where civilians are dying. As a result, Kreminna is now a Russian enclave. The defenders of the town have retreated to new positions, and four people have died trying to flee.
Russian disinformation campaign
In recent years, the Russian government has used disinformation to manipulate the Ukrainian people. A specialist in disinformation, Yevgeniy Golovchenko, of the University of Copenhagen, has been monitoring the campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to demoralize Ukrainians, stir up a popular backlash against the Ukrainian government, and sustain a narrative that the political leadership of Russia has abandoned eastern Ukraine. It is worth noting that Russian disinformation is not always complex; it can be simple and effective if it targets an audience that is already susceptible to propaganda.
The latest disinformation examples are plentiful on the internet, including a photo of a Ukrainian armored vehicle straying into Russian territory, a clip of Ukrainian saboteurs blowing up a Russian tank, and more. These disinformation tactics are a reflection of the changes in Kremlin messaging following Putin’s recognition of pro-Russian republics in the east of Ukraine. These messages are not only contradictory to reality, but also undermine the credibility of civil institutions in Ukraine and provide fertile ground for extremist groups to flourish.
The Russian disinformation campaign began even before Russian forces invaded Ukraine. This disinformation went beyond politics to affect Ukraine’s response to the pandemic and undermine the morale of Ukrainians. In the aftermath of the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, Russia launched a media campaign to promote doubt about the vaccine used in Ukraine’s emergency response. This disinformation campaign in Ukraine was the topic of a report titled “Russian Disinformation Campaign in East Ukraine
Despite these early successes, the Russian disinformation campaign is far from over. The country has taken action to increase its institutional capacity to counter the disinformation threat. The creation of a Centre for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defence Council is one example. By increasing the institutional capacity of the country, it has placed itself in a more stable position to face the escalating threat. This will help Ukraine win the information battle in the future.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a blatant breach of international law
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian, human rights and displacement crisis that is unprecedented in modern European history. What’s more, Russia is challenging the world’s security architecture. This action constitutes a blatant breach of international law, as it was carried out with the intention of deposing Ukraine’s lawfully elected government. This action requires a global response.
As a result, the United Nations Security Council has called for a diplomatic solution to resolve the conflict. In a recent resolution, the Security Council expressed concern that Russia’s aggression was a clear breach of the U.N. Charter and mandate. The international legal framework is supposed to protect all nations from harm, and inaction by the international community would be unacceptable. It’s not enough to condemn Russia’s aggression, but to urge it to cease all military activities in Ukraine.
European leaders have called on Russia to stop the invasion of Ukraine. The foreign ministers of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania have all condemned the attack and called for political isolation. The EU is providing aid to Ukraine and supporting the sovereignty of its people. The British Prime Minister has also condemned the Russian aggression in a statement. He said that the attack on Ukraine was an egregious breach of international law and that Western nations would impose massive sanctions against Russia.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is an escalation of violations of humanitarian and human rights law. Numerous civilians have been killed by indiscriminate attacks, and strikes against banned weapons may constitute war crimes. As a result, Russia must be held accountable for any and all violations of international law. In addition, the Russian military operation in Ukraine will not stop until evidence of war crimes is uncovered.
Ukraine’s military situation is very bad
The situation in the eastern Ukraine is far worse than most people think. Ukraine needs heavy weapons to fight Russia. As a hub for multilateralism, Geneva faces unprecedented challenges. The Ukrainian government is not the only party to the conflict, but Russia is also taking advantage of the situation, as well. So, how can the international community help Ukraine?
On April 29, Russian occupation forces announced plans to consolidate control of Mariupol and return Ukrainian citizens forcibly deported to Russia. However, Ukrainian sources report that Russian forces are preparing to attack Azovstal, a vital strategic facility for the city. These reports are hard to confirm, however, as ISW has no access to Russian-held territory. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s forces continue to slow down Russian advance in eastern Ukraine. Although Russian forces have secured limited advances south of Severodonetsk, they are struggling to advance on the Izyum front. In addition, Ukrainian civilians in occupied Kharkiv Oblast are organizing volunteer resistance movements to the occupation forces’ measures.
The Kremlin has reportedly begun preparing a covert mobilization and increased confidence in such an announcement. Ukraine’s Main Military Intelligence Directorate chief, Kyrylo Budanov, said on May 2 that “the Kremlin has already begun preparing mobilization processes” for May 9, though ISW has no independent confirmation on this. This is a highly volatile situation that should be monitored closely.
The Russians have also continued their offensive efforts in eastern Ukraine, though this is a very limited operation. The Russians, for their part, are mostly using low-quality proxy conscripts. There have been no major breakthroughs in this area in the past few days. The Russian military is unlikely to conduct a major offensive surge in the near future, despite this. It is likely that the Ukrainian military continues to hold its positions beyond the Azovstal Plant.
ICRC’s right to visit prisoners of war
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has a mandate under the 1949 Geneva Conventions to provide humanitarian assistance to war-affected people. These conventions state that the ICRC must have immediate access to all prisoners of war (POWs), including those in armed conflict. It must be allowed to interview POWs without witnesses and must not be restricted in any way. Ukraine’s general staff recently claimed it held 200 Russian prisoners of war.
The ICRC’s right to visit prisoners is a vital human rights issue in the area. It has access to information about every single prisoner and is an important source of information on the situation on the ground. The ICRC meets with Ukrainian prisoners of war to ensure that their medical care is adequate, and that they are not subjected to torture or other forms of intimidation. But the ICRC has been unable to visit civilians in Mariupol, which has been surrounded by fighting for weeks. Mariupol is a strategic point for Russia, as it provides a land bridge between the peninsula and mainland Ukraine, which they annexed nearly ten years ago.
The Russian Federation has repeatedly called the Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol “Nazis,” prompting concerns among rights groups that Russia will deny the captives the protections they are due under the Geneva Conventions. Meanwhile, Russia’s prosecutor general has asked to classify the Azov Regiment, a group with far-right origins that has been fighting in Mariupol. Despite these concerns, Russia’s foreign ministry has pledged to respect the rights of Ukrainian POWs, and the ICRC is preparing an investigation into the matter.
Biden not planning to visit Kyiv
In a meeting with Zelesnskyy on Sunday night, U.S. ambassador to Slovakia Bridget Brink said that Biden intends to nominate BRIDGET BRINK as the next U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. Brink has long been viewed as a leading candidate for the post and has the support of at least one Republican. Austin’s visit to Kyiv comes after a number of other countries, including France and Slovakia, partially reopened their missions in Ukraine.
While US President Joe Biden is not planning to visit Ukraine at this time, he has made several trips to the city in recent weeks. Biden has urged the Ukrainian president to visit and show his support for the country. But even if he were to make the trip, it would be a complex security challenge. According to Psaki, Biden is still “ready for anything.”
The trip to Ukraine came amid mounting criticism from Republican politicians. On Saturday, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made an unannounced trip to Kyiv and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Both leaders toured the war-torn city and expressed “solidarity with the Ukrainian people.”
Ukraine is a key priority for the Biden administration. The trip is a way to show that the U.S. president is committed to helping Ukraine rebuild after the devastating 2014 Russian invasion. The US president’s trip to Ukraine will help build trust between the two countries. In the meantime, there will be a crisis of confidence that will be resolved. So, what can the United States do to help Ukraine?
