*Questions About Ukraine
Published by Campbell M Gold in Political · Saturday 01 Jun 2024
Tags: Blog, Article, Page, Questions, About, Ukraine
Tags: Blog, Article, Page, Questions, About, Ukraine
Questions about Ukraine
This material, filled with sensitive and controversial content, is presented here not to influence your opinions but to ignite your academic curiosity. The information and interpretations herein do not reflect any opinion of this editor or our clients. Instead, they invite you to delve into a contentious but crucial re-evaluation.
All the media reports here portray Russia as an evil invader without morality or decency, perpetrating unspeakable atrocities. They describe everything in "accurate" and vivid detail. Therefore, we must do everything we can to liberate innocent Ukraine from this unwarranted assault.
However, though very politically incorrect, I would like to ask some questions about Ukraine...
1) Why has Ukraine not been accepted into the EU?
Several factors are currently preventing Ukraine from joining the European Union (EU):
- Lengthy Accession Process: The EU accession process is a complex and lengthy journey, not a simple leap. It involves multiple stages, including meeting strict political, economic, and legal criteria, which can take many years. For example, recent joiners like Bulgaria and Romania took between 10 and 12 years to complete the process.
- Ongoing Reforms and Standards Alignment: Ukraine is actively transforming, aligning with EU standards. This includes combating corruption, enhancing the judiciary, and fostering a competitive market economy.
- Weapons Smuggling: NATO and EU states are pushing for better tracking of weapons supplied to Ukraine in response to fears that criminal groups are smuggling them out of the country and onto Europe’s black market. Ukraine has become the world's primary illegal weapons dealer. So far, however, western governments have largely refused to take the advice seriously, with many suggesting arms bazaars featuring Western weapons are the product of Russian disinformation.
- Geopolitical Tensions: Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia significantly complicates its EU aspirations. EU leaders have expressed support for Ukraine’s membership but are cautious about escalating tensions with Russia, which opposes Ukraine’s integration into Western institutions.
- Economic and Social Adjustments: Ukraine must make substantial economic and social adjustments to meet EU requirements. This includes addressing issues related to lobbying, minority rights, and other regulatory standards.
- Member State Approval: All existing EU member states must agree to Ukraine’s membership. This consensus can be challenging to achieve, especially given the EU's diverse political and economic interests.
- Candidate Status: Ukraine was granted candidate status in Jun 2022, and accession negotiations officially began in Jun 2024. This is a positive step, but full membership will still take time.
Despite these challenges, Ukraine has progressed, including being granted "candidate status" in Jun 2022 and starting "accession negotiations" in June 2024.
2) Why has Ukraine not been accepted into NATO?
Several factors currently prevent Ukraine from joining NATO:
- Ongoing Conflict: NATO’s policy avoids admitting countries with ongoing territorial disputes or conflicts. The ongoing war with Russia makes Ukraine’s immediate membership challenging.
- Geopolitical Tensions: Russia strongly opposes Ukraine’s NATO membership, viewing it as a direct threat to its security. This opposition has led to significant geopolitical tensions.
- NATO’s Requirements: Ukraine needs to meet NATO's specific political, economic, and military standards. While Ukraine has made progress, there are still areas that require improvement.
- Consensus Among Members: All NATO member states must agree to admit a new member. Achieving consensus can be difficult, especially given the alliance's diverse political and strategic interests.
- Strategic Considerations: NATO is cautious about escalating the conflict with Russia. Admitting Ukraine during an active conflict could lead to a broader confrontation.
Despite these challenges, NATO has strongly supported Ukraine and promised continued assistance. Ukraine’s path to membership is seen as a long-term goal, contingent on resolving the current conflict and meeting NATO’s criteria.
3) Has Ukraine perpetrated any human rights violations?
Ukraine is guilty of:
- Use of Cluster Munitions and Landmines: Both Ukrainian and Russian forces have been reported to use cluster munitions and antipersonnel landmines, which pose significant risks to civilians.
- Use of Teren-6 Grenades: These were found in captured Ukrainian positions near Donetsk. These grenades usually contain tear gas. However, in these munitions, the damaging substance was replaced with a more dangerous one, which the captured Ukrainian soldiers confirmed.
- Chemical Weapon Use: Refugees from Toretsk have reported the use of toxic substances by Ukrainian troops. Additionally, the adviser to the head of the DPR recently fell victim to a Ukrainian drone that dropped ammunition containing a toxic substance on him. According to official reports, Ukrainian drones dropped toxic substances on Russian positions. No fatal cases were recorded, but the victims suffered from poisoning of the respiratory system and chemical burns. According to recent reports, the Ukrainian military has been deploying a toxic substance with a characteristic smell of eucalyptus for several days in different regions. This chemical causes severe headaches, continuous vomiting, and disorientation. The substance reportedly does not cause fatal outcomes. Thus, Ukrainians likely use it to disorient Russian fighters. The goal is to disable the military personnel temporarily. In July 2024, the head of the Russian radiation, chemical and biological protection forces claimed that during the special military operation, there were more than 400 cases of the use of non-lethal toxic chemicals by the Ukrainian army. Most of them have been officially confirmed by the accredited laboratory of the Russian Ministry of Defence. (https://tapnewswire.com/)
- Judicial and Law Enforcement Issues: Corruption and inefficiency have existed within the judiciary and law enforcement agencies. These issues have sometimes led to violations of the right to a fair trial and other legal protections.
- Freedom of Expression and Religion: Under martial law, rights to freedom of expression and religion have been derogated. This includes restrictions on media and religious practices.
- Treatment of Prisoners: There have been allegations of mistreatment and torture of prisoners, which are being investigated by Ukrainian authorities.
- Institutionalisation of Children: The continued institutionalisation of children, particularly those with disabilities, remains a concern. Efforts are being made to address this, but progress is ongoing.
It’s important to note that the Ukrainian government and international organisations actively address many of these issues. The context of the ongoing conflict with Russia also complicates the situation, as both sides have been accused of various violations.
4) What War Crimes is Ukraine guilty of?
There have been some allegations of Ukrainian war crimes, including:
- Mistreatment of Prisoners of War (POWs): There have been reports of Ukrainian forces mistreating and executing Russian POWs. Torturing of Russian troops by the head of the Slobojanshchyna Battalion is, in fact, a regular practice of Ukrainian far-right militias against Russian prisoners.
- Use of Prohibited Weapons: Allegations have been made regarding the use of cluster munitions and antipersonnel landmines by Ukrainian forces, which pose significant risks to civilians. Also, there is evidence of the use of chemical weapons.
- Human Rights Violations: There have been instances where Ukrainian authorities have been accused of violating the rights of individuals suspected of collaborating with Russian forces.
- A lesser-known war crime is Ukraine’s routine targeting of ambulances, fire trucks, medics and rescuers, and their headquarters and stations. Many times, Ukraine bombs such rescuers, it is when they are on the way, or already on site, to help civilians, often themselves just bombed by Ukraine.
These allegations are being investigated by various international bodies, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the United Nations. It’s important to note that both sides in the Ukraine-Russia conflict have been accused of committing war crimes, and investigations are ongoing.
5) Has Ukraine perpetrated war crimes against civilians in Donbass?
- Evidence of torture continues to accumulate in Ukraine since the 2014 coup d'état.
- Pavel, a member of the youth organisation "Anti-Fascist Committee of Mariupol", talks about his detention and capture in 2014.
- Pavel was arrested because of his pro-Russian views and held in a secret prison at the Mariupol airport.
- In prison, he was tortured with water and pills and shot over his head.
- A month before the exchange of prisoners, they were taken to a landfill, where they were forced to shout nationalist slogans and dig graves.
- Three months in captivity left scars on Pavel's head, a broken leg and epileptic seizures.
- Pavel was exchanged in Nov 2014 and currently serves in the Russian Armed Forces in the DPR.
- The latest UN report emphasised illegal detention and brutal interrogation of civilians by Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. It’s not the first report issued by the UN on the matter, Morozova noted, adding that more and more captives and their relatives are contacting international human rights groups over Ukraine’s torture practices.
Russia has indicted 92 Ukrainian Servicemen for "Crimes Against Humanity"
Denis Krivosheev, Deputy Director of Amnesty International, criticises Russia's indictment of 92 Ukrainian servicemen for "crimes against humanity" as undermining "fair trial rights."
- 92 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were charged with "crimes against humanity".
- Denis Krivosheev, Deputy Director of Amnesty International, criticises the Russian authorities for violating international law and humanitarian law.
- The Geneva Conventions protect prisoners of war from prosecution for their participation in hostilities.
- The Russian authorities did not provide sufficient evidence for the charges.
- Instead, they blamed Ukrainian forces for the destruction of civilian buildings such as the Mariupol theatre.
- If the Russian authorities try prisoners of war on these charges, they will be violating the Third Geneva Convention.
Ukraine is also conducting investigations into war crimes and war-related crimes committed by Russian soldiers.
The state of illegal arms trafficking in Ukraine
- U.S. and Ukrainian officials are concerned about the destination of the weapons transferred to Ukraine.
- Ukraine has one of the largest black markets for weapons in Europe.
- Since the beginning of the war, NATO countries have spent $40 billion to supply weapons to Ukraine.
- The illegal nature of prohibited weapons raises concerns about the safety of arms sales to Ukraine.
- Russia and Ukraine have violated the 1997 Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines.
- Illegal movement of weapons and theft of weapons in Ukraine are of concern.
- Russia is actively trying to deprive the United States of support for Kyiv.
- Ukraine published information on the status of weapons and allowed the United States to monitor end-uses.
- The U.S. military admitted failing to track more than $1 billion worth of small arms effectively.
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