Russia Using Rape As Weapon, Russian Soldiers' Wives Encouraging Rapes: Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska

Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska has said that Russian forces are using sexual assault and rape as a weapon of war in Ukraine and that wives of Russian soldiers are encouraging them to rape Ukrainians. 

Speaking in the United Kingdom's capital London, Zelenska said the world should collectively hold Russia accountable for its crimes in Ukraine. 

Zelenska also called for setting up of a special United Nations (UN) tribunal to address alleged Russian war crimes, including sexual assaults, in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Since then, Russian forces have been accused of widespread human rights violations and war crimes, including executions, sexual assaults, and rape. Mass graves have also been discovered. 

Russian sexual violence systematic, open: Zelenska

Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska said sexual violence is most cruel way to assert mastership over a person. She added that that Russians have used it as a weapon of war "systematically and openly".

"Sexual violence is the most cruel, most animalistic way to prove mastership over someone...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," Sky News quoted Zelenska as saying.

Zelenska added that it's very important to recognise these crimes and hold the responsible accountable.

Zelenska said Ukrainian authorities are currently investigating over 100 cases of alleged sexual assaults by Russian forces. She added that the number is just a small fraction of actual instances as stigma prevents people from reporting crimes.

"And for victims of this kind of violence, it is difficult to testify in war times because nobody feels safe," said Zelenska, as per Stylist magazine.

Zelenska further said that such crimes are meant to humiliate the local population.

"The opportunities for the occupiers widened to humiliating Ukrainians and unfortunately, sexual violence and sexual crimes are within their arsenal. Everyone knows about the huge numbers of rapes," said Zelenska, as per ABC News.

Russian soldiers' wives encourage rape: First Lady Zelenska

In a shocking claim, Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska said wives of Russian soldiers encourage their husbands to carry out rapes in Ukraine.

Zelenska said Ukraine has learnt this through intercepting phone communications between Russian soldiers and their families.

"We see that the Russian servicemen are very open about this. They talk about it over the phone with their relatives, from phone conversations we've managed to capture. 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'," said Zelenska, as per Sky News. 

Girls as young as four raped

Ukrainian First Lady said children as young as four-years-old have been raped by Russian forces.

"We have documented thousands of crimes including sexual violence. The youngest girl who was raped by the Russian occupiers was four years old. The oldest survivor was 85," ITV News quoted Zelenska as saying.

Zelenska's statement is in line with findings by United Nations (UN) experts, who in September reported evidence of Russian war crimes in Ukraine, including sexual assaults. Besides sexual assaults, including assaults of children, the UN experts found signs of beating of detainees, electric shocks, forced nudity, and other sex- and gender-based violence. 

"We were struck by the large number of executions in the areas that we visited. The commission is currently investigating such deaths in 16 towns and settlements," said Erik Mose, the UN expert panel chief, adding that his team had received and was documenting "credible allegations regarding many more cases of executions".

Zelenska also said "torture chambers" used by Russian forces have also been discovered.

As Ukrainian forces pushed Russian troops away from cities and towns and regained occupied territory, signs of alleged Russian war crimes such as mass graves and chambers as mentioned by Zelenska have been discovered. 

Special tribunal for Russian war crimes: Ukrainian First Lady

First Lady Olena Zelenska also called for a special UN tribunal to investigate Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

She said the International Criminal Court (ICC) does not have the means to investigate and punish, so the special tribunal she advocated would strengthen the ICC in its current form.

"We need to start the special tribunal against the crime of aggression of Russia against Ukraine, which will enhance the work of the ICC and not weaken it. We need to unite the world community just as it happened in January 1942 to support the special tribunal against the aggression of Russia against Ukraine," said Zelenska, as per ITV News.

Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska's UK visit

Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska visited the United Kingdom this week to garner support for the Ukrainian cause and raise funds. 

The UK has emerged as a leading supporter of Ukraine. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was the first major Western leader to visit Ukrainian capital Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

In London, Zelenska met the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the Queen Consort Camilla, opened an exhibition with photographs of the Ukraine War to spread awareness, and launched a fundraiser for restoring a Ukrainian hospital.

Zelenska also addressed the House of Commons, the lower house of the UK Parliament.

"I urge you, members of parliament, to help us unite the global community as much as possible. Unite the world in support of a special tribunal for Russian crimes against Ukraine. Today, I am asking you to become a world leader of justice. Nothing more, nothing less," said Zelenska, as per Euro News.

"I will never get tired of thanking Great Britain for everything that it is doing for Ukraine. I believe that we have a lot of joint projects ahead of us to overcome the war consequences and recover Ukrainians. Soft power is capable of significant results when we act together," said Zelenska in a tweet.