Russian massacres in Ukraine
USA punishes two “butchers of Butscha”
November 21, 2023, 6:54 a.m
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On the one hand, the USA is sending more military equipment to Ukraine and, on the other hand, it is sanctioning the Russian invaders. An entry ban has been issued against two Russian military personnel and their relatives due to “serious human rights violations”.
The US government imposes entry bans on two Russian military officers for involvement in “serious human rights violations”. The measure affects, on the one hand, Asatbek Omurbekov, who is known as the “Butcher of Bucha,” the US State Department said.
The US government accuses him of “extrajudicial killings of unarmed Ukrainian civilians” in the village of Andriyivka in eastern Ukraine. He also led his unit to Butscha, where they “killed, beat, dismembered, burned civilians and carried out mock executions.” The European Union had also already imposed sanctions on Omurbekov because of his “direct responsibility for killings, rape and torture” in the Kiev suburb of Bucha.
The US government has placed another guard corporal, Daniil Frolkin, on the sanctions list because of the killings in Andriyivka. “The reports that Omurbekov and Frolkin were involved in serious human rights violations, as documented by nongovernmental organizations and independent investigations, are serious and credible,” the US State Department said. As a result of the sanctions, Omurbekov, Frolkin and their immediate family members can no longer enter the United States.
New aid package for Ukraine
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the US government imposed numerous sanctions against Moscow, Russian institutions or allies of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. This includes the Russian military unit that is held responsible for the atrocities in Bucha.
At the same time, the USA is providing Ukraine with additional military equipment to defend against the Russian invasion. The new package worth $100 million (around 91.4 million euros) is military aid that has already been approved by the US Congress. The armament package includes, among other things, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, a Himars-type multiple rocket launcher and artillery ammunition.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said during his stay in Kiev on Monday: “There is no magic bullet in a conflict like this.” He assured Ukraine of further support during his visit. “What is happening in Ukraine is important not only for Ukraine, but for the whole world,” Austin emphasized. President Joe Biden’s government must fight to release new funds for Ukraine because the continuation of aid is controversial in the US Congress.