Kyiv and some experts in particular criticize Amnesty International's report on the Ukrainian armed forces. The head of the Ukraine office is resigning because of this. However, the human rights organization is defending the paper again - and apologizing for the "annoyance".
Human rights organization Amnesty International has expressed regret at Ukraine's response to a report critical of the country's armed forces. "Amnesty International deeply regrets the irritation and anger our press release on the combat tactics used by the Ukrainian military has provoked," it said in an email sent to Reuters. "Amnesty International's priority in this and any other conflict is to ensure the protection of civilians. Indeed, that was our only goal when we published this latest investigation. We fully stand by our findings, we regret but that caused suffering."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi sharply criticized the report published on Thursday. Amnesty is trying to shift responsibility from the Russian attackers to their victims. Amnesty Ukraine chief Oxana Pokalchuk resigned over the report. He was a propaganda gift for Moscow, she said. Government officials also stressed that they were attempting to evacuate civilians from the frontline areas. Russia, in turn, denies targeting civilians.
In its email on Sunday, Amnesty said that in 19 towns and villages visited, Ukrainian forces were found near civilians. As a result, they were exposed to the risk of Russian fire. "This does not mean that Amnesty International holds Ukrainian forces responsible for the violations committed by Russian forces, nor that the Ukrainian military is not taking proper precautions elsewhere in the country," it said. "We have to be very clear: nothing that we have documented in the Ukrainian armed forces in any way justifies Russian encroachments."
