(Image of a victim in Bakhmut by Olga Wilson)
Today President Zelenskyy hosted the Bucha Summit.
The main word today is justice, for our state and our people who suffered losses due to Russian aggression. pic.twitter.com/7Oh7v8Y566
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 31, 2023
The video with English subtitles of the post summit press conference is below. The English write up of his opening remarks and the declaration of the summit attendees on accountability are both after the jump.
Full accountability is what teaches an aggressor to live in peace – Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the Bucha Summit
31 March 2023 – 22:10
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the first Bucha Summit Faces of Justice, dedicated to discussing the mechanisms of bringing the aggressor state to full accountability for crimes against the Ukrainian people and humanity. Heads of foreign states and governments, other representatives of partner countries and international organizations joined the event in a mixed format.
Opening the summit, the President of Ukraine emphasized that everything the world saw in Bucha one year ago after the Russian occupation became a symbol of the horror brought by Russian aggression.
“We must do everything to make Bucha a symbol of justice. Justice for Ukraine, for Europe, for the whole world. That every Russian murderer, executioner and terrorist answer for every crime against our people, against humanity as such. Everything what happened in Bucha, the Russian army carries wherever it goes,” the Head of State said.
He emphasized that systemic violence and genocide are the essence of Russian actions in all Ukrainian occupied territories. After Bucha, the world saw similar things in other de-occupied towns and villages.
Zelenskyy said that only in Bucha district of Kyiv region, the Russian occupiers committed more than 9,000 war crimes, killed more than 1,400 civilians, and 637 of them in Bucha.
“Old people and very young. Men and women, children… 37 children were killed by the Russians only here, only in Bucha and near this town,” the Head of State said.
Therefore, according to the President, the occupier’s accountability for all crimes must be full.
“There should be three elements in Russia’s full accountability. The first is the national justice of Ukraine, which will ensure the accountability of the majority of Russian murderers and terrorists. The second is the International Criminal Court, which is capable of prosecuting Russian war criminals of various levels within its jurisdiction. And the third mandatory element is a special tribunal; the mandatory element – we emphasize for certain countries and certain leaders who have a different opinion – the special tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine, which will bring to justice those guilty of the primary crime – the crime of aggression, the crime that made possible all other crimes of this Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.
As the Head of State said, only justice can ensure the soundness of the post-war peace.
“Only when peace is built on the just foundations of full condemnation of aggression and when the accountability of the one who disturbed the peace is fully ensured, peace can last for long,” he said, noting that the formal norms of international law will not work without fully ensured justice.
“That is why justice is one of the points of our fundamental document, our Peace Formula that we have proposed. And for the sake of justice, we are creating a global network of legal cooperation. Cooperation just not to allow does to return. And so that in response to every destruction or ruin of our Ukrainian life by the Russian occupiers, a legal verdict of the court will be pronounced,” the President said.
Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to everyone in the world who shares Ukraine’s position regarding the inadmissibility of compromises at the expense of justice.
According to him, everyone who does not want a repetition in other parts of the world of what Russia is doing in Ukraine, should work together with our state to create a special tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression, a compensation mechanism to recover all losses caused by aggression.
“Full accountability is what teaches an aggressor to live in peace. Although it is difficult, it is going to work,” the Head of State said.
As the President said, significant progress in achieving justice has already been shown by the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for the head of the terrorist state on charges of forcible deportation of Ukrainian children from the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia.
“Ukraine fully supports and actively contributes to the work of the International Criminal Court. We are also waiting for new warrants to arrest Russian political and military figures in relevant cases regarding crimes committed on the territory of independent Ukraine. I emphasize: they must be held accountable not only to the history, but also to the court for everything they have done,” Zelenskyy said.
At the President’s persuasion, the national judiciary of Ukraine, the International Criminal Court, and the special tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression will together restore the effectiveness of the international order based on rules.
“Today’s Summit and the Bucha Declaration bring even closer the time when Russia and all criminals will be punished. May this happen in the name of everyone who died at the hands of Russian war criminals. May this happen in the name of every Ukrainian child whose life was taken by Russian terror. May this happen in the name of the values of the world, on which international law is built and which must function – function effectively, always and everywhere on Earth,” the Head of State said.
After the Summit, the Bucha Declaration was adopted, which shall remain open for accession.
The President of Ukraine noted the importance of the fact that about 50 countries and organizations participated in the first Bucha Summit.
“This is extremely important for every Ukrainian man and woman. It is important because there are priorities. It is victory and justice. We will definitely achieve them,” he said.
In particular, President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Eduard Heger and Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Robert Golob came to Ukraine to participate in the event.
The following participants addressed the audience via video links: President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda, President of the Republic of Estonia Alar Karis, and President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili. The following participants joined the summit online: President of the Republic of Latvia Egils Levits, President of the Republic of France Emmanuel Macron, President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel, President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö, President of Hungary Katalin Novák, President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović, President of the Republic of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Republic of Guatemala Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and PACE President Tiny Kox, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola also addressed the participants via video links.
In addition, the following participants spoke via video links: Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz, Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Ireland Leo Varadkar, Prime Minister of Liechtenstein Daniel Risch, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of Romania Nicolae-Ionel Ciucă, Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister, Minister of Finance of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas Philip Davis, and Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel.
Video addresses of the ministers of the states supporting Ukraine were also played.
The Bucha Declaration:
Bucha Declaration on accountability for the most serious crimes under international law committed on the territory of Ukraine
31 March 2023 – 20:45
We, representatives of the States and International organizations, met on 31 March 2023 for the Bucha Summit on Russia’s accountability for the crimes in Ukraine
Reaffirming the paramount importance of the Charter of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security and the promotion of the rule of law among nations and reaffirming our commitment to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine,
Recalling the London Declaration of 13 January 1942 on punishment for war crimes, which, in the midst of a war of aggression, set out international solidarity and resolve to pursue justice,
Recalling the UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/95 (1946), entitled Resolution on the Affirmation of the Principles of International Law Recognized by the Charter of the Nuremberg Tribunal, which affirmed the principles of international law recognized by the Nuremberg Charter and Judgment, and recalling further again that aggression is criminalized in many national criminal codes, including that of Ukraine,
Recalling the obligations of all States under Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations, and to settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security and justice are not endangered,
Recalling the UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 (XXIX) of 14 December 1974, which defines aggression as the use of armed force by a State against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Charter,
Further recalling the obligations arising from international humanitarian law and international human rights law,
Considering that the UN General Assembly resolution ES-11/1 (2022) deplored “in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in violation of Article 2(4) of the Charter”,
Expressing grave concern at the immense harm and suffering resulting directly and indirectly from the aggression committed against Ukraine,
Expressing grave concern also at the serious crimes under international law that are continuing to be committed on the territory of Ukraine by the members of armed forces of the Russian Federation and its proxies,
Convinced that taking all appropriate steps to reinforce the prohibition of the threat or use of force will contribute to the strengthening of international peace and security,
Convinced also that ending impunity is essential for coming to terms with any past crimes committed and preventing such crimes from happening in the future,
Acknowledging the proceedings initiated by Ukraine against the Russian Federation before the International Court of Justice concerning a dispute related to the interpretation, application, or fulfilment of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and urging the parties to implement the Order for Provisional Measures of 16 March 2022 immediately,
Welcoming the ongoing work carried out by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine to investigate all alleged violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, and related crimes in the context of the aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation pursuant to Human Rights Council Resolution A/HRC/RES/49/1 (2022), and A/HRC/RES/S-34/1, and noting its reporting and assessments,
Acknowledging the ongoing investigations carried out by the International Criminal Court, which can exercise jurisdiction over any war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed on the territory of Ukraine since 21 November 2013 and recognizing that the International Criminal Court is not in a position to exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression committed against Ukraine
Underlining the significance of the recent decision of the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for the President of the Russian Federation V. Putin and Russian Commissioner of Children’s Rights M. Lvova-Belova and emphasizing the importance of accountability for all perpetrators for serious violations of international law,
Welcoming that individual States, including Ukraine, have opened investigations into the serious crimes under international law that have been committed on the territory of Ukraine,
have resolved as follows:
Condemn in the strongest possible terms the serious crimes under international law that have been committed on the territory of Ukraine, including the Bucha massacre which became a symbol of the horrors of the Russian aggression;
Express support also for the efforts of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and express deep appreciation for the International Criminal Court’s unique and critical activities to ensure the prosecution of the perpetrators of the most serious crimes under international law and preventing their impunity, thus contributing to the deterrence of such crimes;
Express support for the efforts of States, including Ukraine, to investigate and prosecute crimes within their respective jurisdictions, committed on the territory of Ukraine or against Ukraine, in accordance with their national legislation and international law;
Welcome the international support provided to efforts to ensure comprehensive accountability for serious crimes under international law committed on the territory of Ukraine, including the Joint Investigative Team set up by the European Union’s Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (EUROJUST) on alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine and the advisory groups providing support to Ukraine;
Call on States and other stakeholders to provide maximum possible support to the activities of the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA) established at Eurojust to enhance investigations into the crime of aggression by securing key evidence and facilitating the process of case building at an early stage;
Emphasize the importance of international cooperation and judicial assistance in conducting effective investigations and prosecutions, and encourage States to provide such support;
Affirm that those responsible for planning, masterminding and committing the crime of aggression against Ukraine must not go unpunished, and call on the international community to consider appropriate actions, including through the establishment of an appropriate justice mechanism to ensure effective accountability for the crime of aggression, which is of concern to the international community as a whole;
Recognize the need for the establishment of an international mechanism for reparation of damages, loss or injury, and arising from the internationally wrongful acts of the Russian Federation in or against Ukraine and supports the establishment of an international register of damage to serve as a record, in documentary form, of evidence and claims information on damages, loss or injury to all natural and legal persons concerned, as well as the State of Ukraine, caused by internationally wrongful acts of the Russian Federation in or against Ukraine, as well as to promote and coordinate evidence-gathering;
Emphasize the need to ensure comprehensive accountability for the most serious crimes under international law committed on the territory of Ukraine through appropriate, fair and independent investigations and prosecutions at the domestic and international level, and stress the need to pursue practical steps towards this goal to ensure justice for all victims and to contribute to the prevention of future crimes;
Invite other States and International organizations to join the Bucha Declaration.
Here is the machine translation of the most recent operational update from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense:
Operational information as of 18.00 on 31.03.2023 regarding the Russian invasion
▪️During the day, the enemy launched 5 missile and 12 air strikes, carried out more than 20 attacks from rocket salvo systems.
▪️Today, the Russian Federation launched another missile attack on civilian objects in the city of Zaporizhzhia and other populated areas of Ukraine, using ballistic missiles. The enemy also used 6 Shahed-136 type UAVs for air strikes – all of them were destroyed by our defenders.⚠️✖️
▪️The enemy continues to focus its main efforts on conducting offensive actions in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiiv and Marin areas. During this day, units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine repelled more than 30 enemy attacks. The battles for the settlements of Bilogorivka, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Maryinka remain the fiercest.
▪️During the day, in the Lymansky direction, the enemy conducted unsuccessful offensive actions near the settlements of Makiivka, Kreminna, Dibrova, Bilogorivka, and in the area of Serebryansk forestry. Settlements near the battle line, such as Nevske, Dibrova, Belogorivka in the Luhansk region, as well as Spirne in the Donetsk region, were hit by artillery fire.
▪️In the direction of Bakhmut, the enemy does not stop storming the city of Bakhmut, trying to take it under complete control. During the day, the enemy shelled the settlements of Orihovo-Vasylivka, Novomarkove, Hryhorivka, Bakhmut, Ivanovske, Ozaryanivka and Mayorsk of the Donetsk region.
▪️In the Avdiiv and Marin directions, the enemy carried out offensive actions near the settlements of Novobakhmutivka, Avdiivka and Pervomaiske, without success . He shelled the settlements of Stepove, Tonenke, Maryinka, Novomykhailivka of the Donetsk region.
▪️In the Shakhtarsky direction during the day, the enemy actively used UAVs to adjust the artillery fire, shelled the settlements of Vodyane, Vugledar, Velyka Novosilka, Krasnohorivka and Novosilka of the Donetsk region.
▪️The trend of increasing cases of escape of groups of enemy personnel from units and military units continues . So , in the Starobil district of the temporarily occupied territory of the Luhansk region, the occupiers are looking for 50 servicemen who deserted.
✈️During the day, the Air Force of the Defense Forces carried out 6 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the occupiers.
🇺🇦Units of missile troops and artillery struck 8 areas of concentration of enemy manpower, weapons and military equipment, a warehouse of fuel and lubricants, 2 anti-aircraft missile complexes, an artillery unit in a firing position, as well as a radio electronic warfare station.
🇺🇦General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
🚀 Ministry of Defence Ukraine👆
Here is former NAVDEVGRU Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer’s most recent assessment of the situation in Bakhmut:
BAKHMUT CITY/ 2130 UTC 31 MAR/ RU continues efforts to size the city of Bakhmut. UKR Lines of Communication & Supply (LOCS) remain secure in urban fighting. UKR missile and artillery forces hit 8 Russian troop concentrations, 2 air defense sites and Electronic Warfare equipment. pic.twitter.com/a659GcL9qj
— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) March 31, 2023
BAKHMUT CITY /1210 UTC 31 MAR/ RU continues efforts to size the urban area of Bakhmut. In the last 24 hrs, UKR reports breaking up >22 attacks on the city. At present, UKR Lines of Communication and Supply (LOCS) are secure, but RU is registering gains in costly urban fighting. pic.twitter.com/FsKGs4MUQk
— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) March 31, 2023
Kharkiv:
Russia launched nine S-300 missiles on Kharkiv targeting civilian infrastructure last night.
The graveyard of rocket shells that Russia used to strike Kharkiv will be used to build a case at the @IntlCrimCourt pic.twitter.com/5xSHeYC2SC
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) March 31, 2023
Bucha one year ago:
A year ago.
The Battle of Kyiv was over, and we were about to discover the horror of Bucha. pic.twitter.com/4DgGAYAUDI— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) March 31, 2023
«When Bucha was de-occupied, we learned that the devil was not somewhere “out there” but was in fact here on Earth.»@ZelenskyyUa
🎥 @operativno_ZSU pic.twitter.com/AnwPcAd2pi
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 31, 2023
More than 9,000 war crimes were committed during the 33-day occupation of Bucha. Over 270 a day. More than 1400 civilians were killed. Many of them were subjected to torture. There were 37 children among the dead. 52 children were injured.#bucha
2/3📷 Zohra Bensemra, Reuters pic.twitter.com/uJMM7RjnAu
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 31, 2023
When Bucha was de-occupied, the heinous truth about what was happening in the temporarily occupied territories was revealed to the world.
We will never forget the victims of this war, and we will certainly bring all Russian murderers to justice. pic.twitter.com/jyuVQ8VMvB— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 31, 2023
OUTGOING!
When night falls over Ukraine, the Czech RM-70 Vampire MLRS go hunting. pic.twitter.com/u9hlKYDwa6
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 31, 2023
🚀 Ukraine's Air Force now using JDAM "smart" bombs https://t.co/f5ZPMphsmI
— Ukrainska Pravda in English (@pravda_eng) March 31, 2023
From Ukrainska Pravda:
The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has confirmed that Ukrainian aircraft now deploy Western-made Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), “smart” guidance kits that convert unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions.
Source: Yurii Ihnat, spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on the national joint newscast
Quote: “We are using the so-called JDAM bombs. These are Western-made bombs, which our aircraft deploy quite successfully to strike critical targets. These bombs are slightly less powerful but are extremely high-precision. We would like to have more of these bombs to consolidate our success on the front.”
Details: Russia has recently ramped up its use of guided bombs. Normally Russian forces deploy FAB-500 Soviet-made bombs, which are retrofitted with “wings” and GPS targeting systems. Ihnat stressed that these Russian bombs are normally not very precise, and thus pose a great threat to civilian facilities.
Ukraine needs long-range air defence systems and modern multi-purpose fighter jets in order to be able to counter this type of ammunition.
More at the link!
The Kyiv Independent: is reporting that the Ukrainian military has destroyed the Russian counter battery radar system on the southern front line!
Operational Command “South” reported on Oct. 23 that the Ukrainian Armed Forces completed 130 firing missions over the past 24 hours, killed seven Russian soldiers and destroyed the Zoopark-1 counter-battery radar system in Kherson Oblast.
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
There’s no new Patron material, so a few Ukrainian Army cats and dogs:
Those loving eyes. pic.twitter.com/ijOxZ6279C
— UkrARMY cats & dogs (@UAarmy_animals) March 31, 2023
Many cats and dogs live in shelters with Ukrainian soldiers.
It is both protection against mice and psychological help.
Many cats and dogs return with the soldiers to their families. pic.twitter.com/idXNFlurW6
— UkrARMY cats & dogs (@UAarmy_animals) March 31, 2023
— UkrARMY cats & dogs (@UAarmy_animals) March 31, 2023
That’s a big boy!
Cardiology. pic.twitter.com/9pTqGVcnxF
— UkrARMY cats & dogs (@UAarmy_animals) March 31, 2023
I think that should be cardogology!
Open thread!
War for Ukraine Day 401: The Bucha SummitPost + Comments (31)