AMAC Exclusive – By Ben Solis
One of the most tragic consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been the suffering wrought on the Ukrainian people by the Russian army. While westerners are understandably startled by the graphic details of these horrific crimes and human rights violations, it should perhaps be unsurprising given that the Soviet roots of Vladimir Putin’s regime are steeped in similar atrocities.
The accounts of Russian brutality emerging from the conflict in Ukraine shock the conscience and are seemingly drawn from another far more barbaric epoch in human history. In Bucha, bodies of Ukrainian women were found naked and branded with swastikas in a mass grave. During the Russian invasion of Mariupol, one Ukrainian woman reported being raped by a Russian tank commander. In the village of Kalyta, a mother of four was gang raped by Russian soldiers. Mutilated and tortured bodies of men, women, and children have been found in forests, cellars, and streets after Russian soldiers moved through villages.
It is important to note that it is likely a small minority of Russian soldiers who are committing these crimes. Yet the overall pattern of heinous acts against civilians cannot be ignored.
To understand Russian cruelty in the war – and how the West should respond to it – one must understand the history of Soviet war crimes and how the West treated them in the last century.
The Soviet era was rife with human rights violations, from the gulags and political prisons to Moscow’s brutal repression of millions under its domain. One of the worst episodes of Soviet barbarity came in its invasion of Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989.
Accounts from United Nations reports published in 1986 and 1987 began to reveal the horrible truth about the Soviet Union’s treatment of the Afghan people. One witness said Soviet soldiers tied dynamite to the backs of old and blind Afghans in a village of Mata in the Panjsher Valley and blew them up. Another talked about helpless targets for Soviet bombers and helicopter gunships. According to the preeminent Afghan diplomat and historian Mohammad Kakar, the Soviets killed at least one million of his compatriots.
By the time the Berlin Wall collapsed, evidence of the Soviet army’s crimes—including gang raping women, bombarding towns and villages with combat gas, using booby traps, scorched earth tactics preventing civilian return, torturing, and indiscriminately killing prisoners of war—were increasingly undeniable.
Soviet dissidents, led by Nobel-prize winner Andrei Sakharov, called upon Communist Party leader Mikhail Gorbachev for trials for Soviet army personnel who had committed the atrocities. Sakharov, who himself was exiled for his opposition to Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, reiterated that the war was an act of aggression and horrendous criminality.
But in November 1989, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, led by Gorbachev, announced an amnesty for Soviet troops who violated laws and basic humanity. Allegedly motivated “by the principles of humanism,” the Supreme Soviet released troops from liability for crimes, reversed convictions, and freed the imprisoned.
Human rights activist Vladimir Bukovsky called the act a “mockery of justice.” The Russian church, under the thumb of the Politburo in Moscow, shamefully opposed making a moral judgement on the decision to absolve Russian troops of their war crimes.
Dissident Russian priests Alexander Men and Gleb Yakunin likened this social theology of the Russian church to the holy version of the “cog in the machine” theory that diminishes the value of individual human life.
Dissidents understood that to protect the fragile liberty of the fledgling Russian state would have required a voluntary confession of guilt at the moment of the new country’s founding. But such a challenge exceeded the Soviet government’s moral capacity, as many senior leaders shared responsibility for the war crimes. Gorbachev, meanwhile, did not want to harm the myth of an invincible and infallible Red Army, nor shake the pillar of his political power.
Western diplomats chose to ignore the Soviet crimes for political reasons, sacrificing their moral high ground in the process. They handed Gorbachev a “respectable” exit from Afghanistan and helped the Soviets avoid paying war indemnities. Washington and London salivated over the prospect of expanded markets in the Soviet sphere of influence, while Paris and Berlin eyed the future expansion of the European Union from Lisbon to Vladivostok.
Both propositions turned out to be utopian, and the moral failing to address the crimes of the Red Army before has now manifested itself in the form of Russian crimes in Ukraine.
In light of this history, Western leaders would be wise to heed the lessons of the last century and hold Russia accountable for its crimes. Peace can never exist long unless it is built on a solid moral foundation, rather than cold political calculations.
Ben Solis is the pen name of an international affairs journalist, historian, and researcher.
AND A/H biden MUST BE HELD FOR WAR CRIMES AGAINST THE U. S. FOR DESTROYING OUR ONCE GREAT NATION
My question is where is all the news coverage?
I find it disappointing that AMAC is following the narrative
How about an audit on all the money we have sent the little Nazis to protect his boarder while ours is left wide open.
This is a terribly inaccurate and disappointing article by AMAC. The mainstream media, to include Fox, has been lying about this conflict from its inception, which began back in 2014. For people who want to find out what’s really going on I suggest you listen to some videos from Colonel Douglas MacGregor, Major Scott Ritter, and a Ukrainian citizen blogger by the name of Gonzalo Lira-who lives outside of Kershon. The dishonesty by the American press is stunning
As a military vet from the Vietnam era, I find it very odd that we fought the Nazis in WWII and now we are funding them in Ukraine. Of course the German Nazis didn’t funnel our politicians laundered money.
Western Europe seems to be quite happy as long as Putin stays inside Ukraine.
Their opinion seems to be that as long as the Commies leave them alone they don’t
care. On top of that they expect the good ole USA to take care of them and the
US is dumb enough to do it. So what’s the problem ?
I’m sorry that AMAC seems to be slanted against Russia in the whole Ukraine fight. Russia has taken down tunnels of human/child trafficking; blown up our CIA bio-labs there, and the Zelensky is a puppet for the USA/world led deep state. That piece of filth is rich, has a big mansion in the USA, and is an actor… he is NOT a leader of Ukraine. What about Obama putting Zelensky in, in the war that he started and WHAT ABOUT THE BIDEN MONEY LAUNDERING in Ukraine? What about Biden threatening to withhold aid to Ukraine if they didn’t stop the investigation into Burisma, the co. that paid Hunter $57K/mo. to be on fake board? (I have copy of bank deposits of this.) WHY IS THIS not included? There is a video of Joseph Biden saying, “Son of a b*tch, he did it.” … stopped investigation of Burisma. I thank Russia for doing what the USA refuses to do in the worst huma trafficking/money laundering country on earth. HEY my dear USA, Clean up the corrupt politicians, including Joseph P. Biden, and many judges and other leaders in our nation. I’m getting disgusted with your anti-Russia reporting here. ..
I am more interested in focusing on the mongrels’ killing with impunity on our streets.
Russia is a pure Communist Nation and long ago its Commie leaders learned how to maintain that status. And with the antics of this Nation’s DemocRat Party, this Nation is crawling to the same future status. More and more the laws and its maintenance sloshes closer and closer to Communism … IMO the news media is largely morphed in to a propaganda for the Commie-DemocRat Party with a few exceptions.
If you want to hold Russia accountable for war crimes for a war that has not been declared then you better hold the US accountable for war crimes against Vietnam and Japan.
Biden and cohorts need to be held accountable…their policies are killing good hearted Americans…whats wrong with Ben Solis/AMAC?
Biden, Gates, Soros and the like are worse than Russia
I hope the next article is about the medical crimes perpetrated on the American people the past
2 1/2 years.
Russia Must be held accountable for war crimes??? Hmmm. Look at the crimes the Biden crime family and the demoncrats have committed! Our CIA killed John Kennedy, Our government in cooperation with big parma and the media, CDC, WEF, W.H.O. and many other conspirators, committed mass bioweapon murder beginning 2019 – crimes against humanity, All of the crimes against children should count for something. Child sex trafficking, surgical changes to their little bodies to make them look like the opposite gender (their sex can never be changed, as it is established at the time of conception), A flood of illegal immigrants. And so many many more crimes that have originated and grown out of our own government of corrupt politicians and every other agency. But, hey, let’s pick on Russia, because they are, at the present time the only nation that wants to maintain sovereignty and protect their Russian children and know what a woman is, and who God is.
Ben Solis pen name????? What an idiot. You want to talk about war crimes? How about that fruit cake installed Zelensky shutting down churches, reporters all opposition. Why Ben? To cover up the Biden crime family as well as the Pelosi’s, the Kerry’s, et al. War crimes how about the Nazi Azov battalion? How old are you Ben?
Too many communists and their supporters posting on this site. If this is conservative republicans, I don’t want to be one anymore.
I thought AMAC was better than this! imo Ben Solis should be removed as ‘a reporter’ for AMAC. While there are ounces of truth, the main is MSM talking points again. Much of what said in this article has been debunked! Jimmy Dore, The Duran, The Dive with Jackson Hinkle- PatrickLancaster (boots on the ground IN Ukraine reporter)- iEarlGrey Rumble. Reputable sources have debunked much of what this guy ‘reported’. The many of the atrocities have been proven to be done by the Azov Nazi army of Ukraine. Lots staged to blame Russia. Like Russia bombed Poland- was debunked. Even paying Ukrainian citizens to ‘play a part’. Train station- hoax – blamed Russia, proved was a Ukraine bomb! There is vid out there of a camera crew driving by these so called bodies- caught in the rear view mirror, some of those bodies waved/sat up. Hosp bombing- was empty- actors played for photo ops. ‘Reporter’ sitting/reporting in front of body bags, one moved- wind blew ‘tarp/bag off (guy was wearing a red hat) so was he placed to make it seem worse than was? YUP. I THINK it was a Fox reporter. Can see gal going over and helping to re-cover the dude. How is it a broke actor, Zelenskyy now has 3 mansions! His people driving around in luxury cars etc. US paying the pensions of ‘his cabinet’ while the Ukrainian people are starving? Demanding MORE! AMAC should be very ashamed and dump this so-called ‘journalist’. This became worse starting 2014 Obama/Nuland Over throwing Russian based Pres. (even though he was corrupted too) but not nearly as badly as Zelenskyy is now. Putin requested peace many times, US/Zelenskyy ignored – they want this war $$$, keep the atrocities secret, $ laundering, (FTX) biolabs, child trafficking etc. Solis report the actual FACTS! The Benny Show- shows Biden standing on a red x- at his Ukraine visit on Pres day instead of being in OH. Acting! Siren- staged! so- shame on AMAC!
Zelenskyy is a criminal also let them fight it out and who cares. We should not be sending our money and military equipment over there. The only reason we are helping Ukraine is because they have the goods on Biden.
Action of soldiers start at the top. Putin is a criminal and so are others in the line of authority. There are less Russian’s men every day.
Cancelling my subscription to AMAC after this dumb article.
If we had a Strong, HONEST president, Putin would NEVER have invaded Ukraine and we wouldn’t be wasting our tax dollars and depleting our ordnance! Remember Biden said “a little invasion” would be OK! STUPID! First the DIMMs made the pharmaceutical companies rich, now Biden’s making both the armament companies and Ukrainian officials RICH!
John 8:7
This whole world has war crimes. Just stop!
Disappointed in the one sided presentation, “Russia Must Be Held Accountable for War Crimes” by Ben Solis.
Not a defender of Putin or Russia, but what I want to know is who is going to hold the west accountable, from the puppet Zelenski that was installed by our own state dept., to the illegal bio-weapons labs funded by the US and the Bidens, to the violating our treaty with Russia by encroaching and encouraging nations to join NATO that we promised wouldn’t happen. For that matter who is going to hold Ukraine accountable for shelling their own people for the last ten years. WHEN IS SOMEONE GOING TO TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH?
The article is thought provoking. I am extremely disappointed in our Biden administration for getting our country involved in this conflict. It is becoming more of a Russia vs the USA war. Let’s stop our funding of the Ukrainian government. We have so many problems in our own country which need resolution.
The idea that Russia is committing war crimes is mostly propaganda and miniscule compared to what the Nazis (and government) of Ukraine are perpetrating against certain groups of people in Ukraine; which is then blamed on Russia. Ukraine’s legal government was replaced, by US Deep State (mostly CIA) in 2014, by an actor/puppet (Zelensky), so that that nation could be used as a base for biowarfare lab research, to be used against the peoples of the world by governments controlled by the globalists. It is also a giant money laundering operation for the benefit of Democrats, RINOs, and globalists worldwide. Our executive administration sends our money, in the billions, (without the consent of our representatives in Congress), to supposedly help fight off Russia’s attempt to take over Ukraine. Then large portions of that money winds up back here, in the pockets and campaign funds of Democrats and RINOs. One reason Russia attacked? NATO broke its former agreement with Russia which would have created a buffer of non-NATO nations, (neutral), in eastern Europe. The only nation left as a buffer is Ukraine which Zelensky baited Russia with the threat of joining NATO. Ukraine has also threatened to take critical Russian ports. On top of that, the Nazis and government of Ukraine have been committing atrocities against ethnically Russian inhabitants in the “Donbas”: Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea. The truth is that, at least in those areas, the Ukrainian people are warmly welcoming Russian troops who will protect them from their own government! Our government is using NATO and the government of Ukraine that “we” installed, to incite Russia into war.
Hand-wringing like this will accomplish nothing. Brutes and buliies respect power and force, not talk.
Funding the Communist Chinese and Mexico that is Slaughtering Thousands of Americans with Fentanyl.. Biden should be Held Accountable for War Crimes against American Citizens.. Ukraine is not our War.
While no warfare is good or clean (the civilian populations always get the brunt of such things) perhaps Zelensky should have thought twice about HIS incessant shelling of Crimea, then threatening to join NATO bringing nukes to the Russian border, which precipitated all of this mayhem. Plenty of war crimes to go around, here.
So are you an escort? I can’t do that anymore as I am now fat, ugly and old.
FJB! Why don’t we re-elect President Trump, for the third time, and let him explain to Putin and Zelenskyy the importance of them to cease and desist their war activities because of the consequences to them personally and to their countries. Also explain to Zelenskyy how he is going to repay the USA every penny that was sent to him and that he would not keep one penny.
Russia should by held accountable by UN or NATO or ?? Ukraine did not invite Russian forces & was enjoying the freedoms in their own country & then Russia invaded. Russia is totally wrong in targeting civilians & energy plants & just making life as miserable as possible on their neighbors. Russia is evil & should have never invaded Ukraine in my opinion.
This is not a battle the U.S. should be involved in. We need to clean up our own messes in the U.S. to protect U.S. citizens. We do not need to start a war with Russia.
Here is what you don’t know about Ukraine:
gellerreport.com/2022/04/heres-what-you-dont-know-about-ukraine.html/
bioclandestine.substack.com/p/why-the-globalists-are-terrified..
Not only the Russian but also the Ukrainian soldiers. This war is a war for donors and Political leaders to make money. No one cares about the US citizens and the safety of the nation. You have a Porn star from Ukraine running the country. Could you see Joe Playing the piano with his dong like the Zelensky on TV. I bet he would have no problem.
Take back your country Russia.
How about holding the corrupt Zelensky and his equally corrupt gov’t officials accountable for allowing U.S. bio-weapon labs built in Ukraine by endangering his people and allowing money laundering by the Biden crime family and other corrupt globalists?
I’m not sure Russia is the only one who has committed crimes. The Donbas people need satisfaction too! Zelensky is guilty of that!
He’s also guilty of corruption and conspiracy to influence the American government!
Thankful to see most of the comments are from truly enlightened people who have not fell victim to the propaganda being spewed in this article. It is exactly the thinking expressed in this article that shows me AMAC is obviously run by the uni-party, RINO’S, and war mongers, not actual Constitutional, America first, conservatives. For that reason I am unsubscribing.
{{{Russia Russia Russia}}}
Pffft. How about we do what’s really meaningful, and hold the corrupt and warmonger AMERICAN TRAITORS accountable! Start with anti-Republic expletives like the dementia riddled fraud puppet unindicted felon pResident (who ginned up/smack talked the war), and his handler, another unindicted felon, corrupt Commie Traitor Obamie (who’s running the Republic into the totalitarian tyranny hell for us they want so badly)…because corrupt Ukraine is where the elitists launder money, and corrupt piece of garbage Zelenskyy has the dirt to make (and get!!!) his demands met, due to corrupt, nefarious dealings of Kickback Joe et al.
I do not deny that historically Russia has had a long history of brutality and violence. But basic information seems to be omitted in this article. There is no discussion of Ukrainian violence against its own people. There is no discussion of foreign interference and control of their elections. There is no discussion of NAZI battalions controlling Ukraine and terrorizing its citizens. Zelensky is a global puppet and our very own government is complicit in promoting this war. We should not be supporting this violence, the 42 biolabs, the child trafficking, and the money laundering. It’s way past time that American citizens wake up. There is no excuse for being so uniformed, unless you are part of the propaganda machine. We are running out of time to right the wrongs!
gloria, I am interested in your offer. Please reply with your street address. I’m guessing that your front porch has a red light at the door.
Also hold Ukraine accountable! Hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from us and sent to that corrupt country!
What does this have to do with the article on Ukraine, you carpetbagger?
WHAT ABOUT HOLDING china RESPONDSIBLE FOR KILLING MILLIONS ACROSS THE GLOBE WITH COVID. DROP THE BOMBS ????????????????
Indeed Russia must be held accountable. Putin and cohorts are worse than Hitler was in WWII the way they have attacked the civilian population: raping women in the streets in front of people and laughing; the abuse of children and elderly; the destruction of homes and their power grid in freezing temperatures; mass graves, and on-and-on go the atrocities. The suffering Ukrainian people must be taken into our hearts and those in all of Europe. Imagine this happening in our own country by one of our enemies. I do applaud the bravery and determination of the Ukrainian people, and their will to remain free. With the president we have and our military needing rebuilt, and the easy life we have had (most of us) in this country for so long, I doubt that we could hold on as long as the courageous people have. We and all of Europe must stand by them!
Who is going to hold the Russians accountable? The Democrats lie and cheat about the election and they just do whatever they want and nobody holds them accountable. Biden is destroying our country who is holding him accountable? That’s all a bunch of talk and nobody does anything and they all walk away.
Aren’t wars not always political?
Governments make war not the people. Do you think American soldiers are not raping women in a war? There are atrocities on both sides. Get real.
A good deal of this article is juvenile directed propaganda spewed by the ‘democratic socialists” in Ukraine in conjunction with American three letter agencies. A Russian would carve a swastika on anyones head? Really? Not an Azov Nazi weird we are paying out billions to for a conflict we started back in 2014 or 1999 if you want to count the year we promised Russia that NATO would not expand one inch further east……..that was 16 joined nations ago by the way.
We are being lied to all to keep the people in some support of the huge money flows going into the donor corps of Brandon and company.
And of course we musnt forget that Russia also bombed its own pipeline when it had a day off from shelling the nuclear plant it had its own people at.
Lies, lies, lies
The suffering by Ukrainian people has been brought on by their own government – just like our government has turned on us. That war is the two governments way of stealing our money for their own gain. None of it is going to help the people. Get a clue.