Boris Johnson directly appealed to the Russian people to reject President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, which he described as a “disgrace” on the dignity of his country. In a video posted online, the Russian prime minister called for VPNs to be downloaded to allow them to bypass the Kremlin’s control of the media and see for themselves the atrocities committed on their behalf.
His speech came after President Volodymyr Zelensky used a dramatic security appeal to the United Nations to accuse the Russians of the “most heinous war crimes” since World War II. The Ukrainian leader called for the creation of a special court in accordance with the Nuremberg Courts, which tried to bring the Nazi leadership to justice.
The Kremlin responded by saying that pictures of Russian soldiers of civilian residents killed in Bucha were “fake news” fabricated by the Ukrainians themselves. However, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said analysis of satellite imagery from March 21 – when the city was still occupied by the Russians – showed at least eight bodies lying in the street.
In his letter, Johnson said that the “atrocities” committed by Russian forces – including the rape and murder of innocent civilians – were so shocking that Putin deliberately tried to hide the truth from his own people. “Your boss knows that if you could see what’s going on, you wouldn’t support his war,” he said.
He knows that these crimes betray the trust of every Russian mother who proudly greets her son when he goes to military service. He knows that it is a stain on the dignity of Russia itself. The stigma that is growing every day is indelible, and this war continues. “
Mr Johnson said people just need a VPN to access independent information from around the world. Speaking in Russian, he added: “Its president is accused of war crimes. But I don’t think he is acting on your behalf.”
(Photo: Photowire AP/PA Service)
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown backed Zelensky’s call for a war crimes tribunal, and said President Putin and members of his inner circle could be charged with assault. “I think he can be blamed very quickly because there is strong evidence that he is planning an invasion, preparing and carrying out,” he told BBC2 Newsnight.
“This is what we have to do in Rwanda, this is what we have to do in Liberia. We have done the same with other countries in Yugoslavia. You can issue an arrest warrant, not only for Putin, but also for many of his close comrades who cooperated with him in these cases. .
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Liz Truss has renewed her determination to use the two-day meeting of NATO and G7 ministers, which begins on Wednesday in Brussels, to impose further sanctions on Russia. US officials have said they expect coordinated action from Western allies, including a ban on all new investment in the country.
Other measures should include new restrictions on financial institutions and state-owned enterprises and sanctions against government officials and their families. After talks in the Polish capital Warsaw on Tuesday, Truss said economic work so far had had a “devastating effect” and “pushing the Russian economy back into the Soviet era”.
He said the West has frozen more than $350 billion (6266 billion) in “Putin’s war fund”, which is inaccessible to more than 60% of the system’s foreign exchange reserves of $604 billion (9459 billion). But he said they need to do more with more tough action against Russian banks and “pursuing the industries that fill Putin’s war with gold and agreeing on a clear timetable for eliminating Russian imports of oil, coal and gas”.
Source: Belfastlive
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
