Spokeswoman of Amnesty International’s Ukrainian branch Kateryna Mitieva resigned after the central office’s report with allegations against the Ukrainian military “The only right decision for me is to no longer work in an organization whose principles diverged greatly from mine,” she wrote, Suspilne reports.
In its report, Amnesty International claimed that Ukraine risks civilian lives by positioning troops nearby. Amnesty Ukraine spokeswoman Mitieva says the Ukrainian office tried to convince Amnesty International not to publish the report, “…But we weren’t heard.”
Earlier, the Head of Amnesty Ukraine Oksana Pokalchuk released a statement saying that the Ukrainian office took no part in the publication of the report, and their recommendations were ignored by the central office.
Ukrainian officials responded to Amnesty’s International accusations against the Armed Forces of Ukraine calling it “unfair,” “manipulative,” creating “a false balance between the victim and the criminal.” Ukraine routinely conducts measures to protect civilians, and, while it is open to international investigation and Russia blocks all access to occupied territories, reports examining only the actions of the victim cannot be objective. The primary efforts of international organizations should be directed at ending Russia’s war, not instructing the Ukrainian Army on how they should defend themselves from genocide, officials said.
Ukrainian officials slam Amnesty’s International accusations of Ukrainian Army