A UN expert expressed concern, this Thursday, June 15, about multiple testimonies showing that Russian troops in Ukraine “systematically and intentionally” torture civilians and prisoners of war, with the approval of the State.
“The practices reported include electric shocks, beatings, balaclavas, mock executions and other death threats,” writes Alice Jill Edwards, UN special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading, in a letter to the Russian authorities. This could mean that “these methods of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are approved by the State”, writes the expert, in this letter signed with other independent experts. These experts are mandated by the UN Human Rights Council but do not speak on behalf of the organization.
“Torture is a war crime and the systematic or widespread practice of torture constitutes a crime against humanity”, recalls Alice Jill Edwards, who intends to travel to Ukraine again this year to carry out her own investigation. .
Moscow announces the holding of “elections” in the occupied territories on September 10
The Russian electoral commission announced, Thursday, June 15, the holding of local “elections” on September 10 in the territories that Russia occupies in Ukraine and of which it claimed the annexation in September 2022.
These polls aim, according to the authority, to elect regional assemblies and municipal councils, even though Moscow controls only part of the regions of Lugansk and Donetsk in the east, Zaporijia and Kherson in the south. Fighting is still raging there, and Ukraine is leading a counter-offensive aimed at liberating these territories.
Almost a year and a half after launching its assault on Ukraine, Russia controls some 17% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, a peninsula annexed in 2014.
The situation is “serious” but in the process of stabilization at the Zaporizhia power plant
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Thursday during a visit to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine that the situation there was “serious” since the destruction of a dam, but in stabilization course.
“We can observe on the one hand that the situation is serious, the consequences are there and they are real,” Rafael Grossi told reporters. “At the same time, measures are being taken to stabilize the situation,” he added, without specifying what these measures were.
Rafael Grossi’s visit to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, aimed in particular to determine whether this installation was endangered by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam on the Dnieper River, whose water was used to cool the six reactors. Rafael Grossi claimed that the plant had “enough water”. On Tuesday, the head of the IAEA had already estimated that there was no “immediate danger” for the plant, occupied by Russian forces since 2022.
kyiv says it shot down a missile and 20 Russian explosive drones overnight
Ukraine announced on Thursday that it shot down a cruise missile and 20 Russian explosive drones overnight, while three missiles again hit the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, one of the four cruise missiles fired from the Caspian Sea and the 20 drones launched from the North and South were intercepted.
Three other missiles hit “industrial facilities in the Dnipropetrovsk region”, in the center-east of the country, she added on Telegram. According to local authorities, it is Kryvyï Rig, birthplace of President Volodymyr Zelensky, where a previous Russian strike on Tuesday left 12 dead, including hitting an apartment building and a warehouse.
Moscow claimed, for its part, to have neutralized in the night and the morning nine drones above Crimea, a peninsula annexed by Russia, indicated the local governor installed by Moscow, Sergei Aksionov. “During the past night and in the morning, nine drones were detected over the territory of the Republic of Crimea,” Sergei Aksionov said on Telegram, adding that there were no casualties.
Ukrainian forces continue their counter-offensive in Bakhmout and Zaporizhia
The Ukrainian counter-offensive continues. Kyiv forces continued their attacks on Russian positions on Wednesday. According to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar, the troops advanced between 200 and 500 meters on the Bakhmout front and between 300 and 350 meters in the direction of Zaporizhia.
The Red Cross was able to visit 1,500 Russian and Ukrainian prisoners
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Wednesday it was able to visit 1,500 prisoners of war held by Russians and Ukrainians. “For prisoners of war and their families who have been able to share news, the impact is immeasurable,” said Ariane Bauer, ICRC regional director for Europe and Central Asia. The aim of these visits is to check the conditions of detention, to offer support and sometimes books or hygiene articles to the prisoners.
The headquarters of the organization is in Geneva. She was the target of repeated criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who blamed her for not doing enough to gain access to Russian-held soldiers. The ICRC affirms that it has been able to visit the places of detention held by Moscow in recent weeks. So far, the organization has not had access to Russian-occupied areas despite “concrete requests”.
Pro-Russian hackers step up attacks in Switzerland
This Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to address the Swiss parliament on video, around 2 p.m. In parallel with this speech, a group of pro-Russian hackers is increasing cyberattacks in the country. They notably affected the cities of Zurich, Basel and Lausanne, temporarily preventing access to their websites. Other intrusions were observed on Monday and last week, in particular against the Swiss railway company (CFF).
“The author of the attack is the NoName group,” the Basel cantonal authorities announced in a press release. At the beginning of 2023, this group had already launched attacks against German institutions when Berlin authorized Poland to deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, and during the Czech elections against the site of the Europhile and Atlanticist candidate Petr Pavel.
Australia blocks construction of new Russian embassy
The Australian government will oppose the construction of a new Russian embassy next to Parliament in Canberra, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Thursday. The country invokes in particular a risk to national security. “The government has received very clear security advice from the intelligence services about the risk posed by a new Russian presence so close to parliament,” he added.
Since 2008, Russia has been leasing a plot of land near Parliament in Canberra to an agency of the Australian federal government, and in 2011 obtained a permit to build its new embassy there. In August 2022, the government had tried to terminate the lease for non-compliance with certain clauses of the building permit, but this decision was canceled by federal justice last May. “We don’t think Russia is in a good position to talk about international law, given that it has so consistently and brazenly rejected it with its invasion of Ukraine,” said Anthony Albanese.