Russian wives encouraging their husbands to rape Ukrainian women, alleges first lady Olena Zelenska
Olena Zelenska
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Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska has alleged that Russian soldiers are using rape and sexual assault as "weapons" in Ukraine's invasion.Speaking in London at a conference on combating sexual assault during armed conflict, she called for a "global response" and claimed that the wives of the Russian military urged their husbands to rape Ukrainian women.
As per a SkyNews report, Zelenska said that sexual violence, an animalistic way to prove mastership or superiority, was being used "systematically and openly" by the invading forces.
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"Sexual violence is the most cruel, most animalistic way to prove mastership over someone. And for victims of this kind of violence, it is difficult to testify in war times because nobody feels safe", said Zelenska.
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"This is another instrument that they (Russian forces) are using as their weaponry. This is another weapon in their arsenal in this war and conflict. That's why they're using this systematically and openly."
She further alleged that based on phone conversations they've "managed to capture" they know that rapes and sexual assault are a reality that the Russian servicemen talk about openly while on a call with relatives.
Zelenska said that even the wives of these servicemen knew and in fact, they encourage their husbands to participate in the heinous acts.
"In fact, the wives of Russian servicemen encourage this, they say, 'Go on, rape those Ukrainian women, just don't share this with me, just don't tell me'.This is why there has to be a global response to this."
Allegations of sexual violence during this war started spilling overthe past few months.
Last week, Wayne Jordash, an international criminal lawyer assisting Kyiv's war crimes investigations, stated there was proof Russian leadership was aware of sexual abuse committed by military forces in Ukraine, "and in some cases, (were) encouraging it or even ordering it."
According to an UN-supported report released in October, the victims of such abuse in Ukraine ranged in the age from four to over 80, and in some cases, family members were made to witness the crime.
(With inputs from agencies)
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