Ukraine’s President’s address on Izyum. With English subtitles
September 16, 2022. OTTAWA, ON. The shocking evidence of more Russian crimes against humanity and war crimes emerging from Izyum, Kharkiv Oblast horrify the world.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) calls on Canada and allies to provide Ukraine with all the weapons Ukraine has requested to defeat the Russian invader and to designate Russia a terrorist state.
“Izyum, Bucha, Mariupol, Balakliya – and many other Ukrainian cities and towns – are scenes of crimes on a scale not seen in Europe in more than seven decades. Having seen the depravity and scale of the crimes against humanity being perpetrated it would be unconscionable for western allies to allow a single Russian soldier to remain on the territory of Ukraine,” stated Alexandra Chyczij, National President of the UCC. “Canada and allies must immediately increase support for Ukraine to ensure that the Russian armies are defeated, and Russia must be isolated from the international community and deprived of the means to wage war. The world must act to stop the Russian genocide against Ukrainians.”
Izyum, a city of some 40,000 people, was liberated by Ukrainian forces several days ago after months of Russian occupation. Following liberation, Ukrainian forces and officials have thus far discovered over 400 graves of victims of the Russian occupation. Exhumation of the graves is taking place. The Kharkiv Prosecutor, Olexander Ilyenkov told the BBC – “In the first grave, there is a civilian who has a rope over her neck. So we see the traces of torture.”
The UCC urges the Canadian government and allies to:
- Provide Ukraine with the weapons that Ukraine requests – long-range artillery, tanks, advanced rocket systems, air and naval weapons – that Ukraine needs to defeat the Russian army;
- Designate Russia a state supporter of terrorism;
- Implement a full trade embargo on Russia;
- Support Ukraine economically to avoid an immediate budgetary crisis as it tries to keep its economy (and its people) alive. Unless Ukraine receives rapid assistance from the IMF, and others, it risks losing the economic battle — whatever happens on the military side.
BBC report: Mass exhumations at Izyum forest graves site
Globe and Mail report: Burial site with 445 bodies outside Izyum shows evidence of war crimes, Ukraine says
