Russian Military 'Mass Killing' Fears Lead Ukrainian Mothers to Write Names and Birthdates on Babies' Bodies

South Korean Ukraine Ambassador Condemns "What Is Happening in the 21st Century"
Signs of 'Civilian Massacre' in Parts of Ukraine After Russian Troops Withdraw
President Zelensky Mentions "Massacre" in Interview with US Media

On the 5th (local time), a Ukrainian child's back has personal information such as name and emergency contact written on it. / Photo by Twitter Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] As suspicions spread that Russian forces are massacring civilians in Ukraine, local parents are reportedly engraving personal information on their children's bodies, drawing sympathy. This is in preparation for the possibility that they might die while their children survive alone.

On the 5th (local time), Anastasiya Lapytina, a journalist affiliated with independent media in Kyiv, shared a photo of a young child on her Twitter account. The child in the photo is a girl living in Ukraine, with her name, date of birth, and relatives' contact information written on her back in pen.

The photo was retweeted by more than 16,000 people, capturing the attention of netizens worldwide. Netizens expressed sorrow, saying, "What must the parents have felt to have to write such things on their child's body," "I keep crying after seeing the photo," and "Is there no way we can help?"

Dmytro Ponomarenko, the Ukrainian ambassador to South Korea, also posted the photo on his Twitter that day, lamenting, "Ukrainian mothers are leaving contact information on their children's bodies in case they die and the children survive. In the 21st century!"

On the 3rd, in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, Ukraine, from which Russian forces retreated, civilian bodies wrapped in black tarps were abandoned in pits scattered throughout the area. Allegations have arisen that Russian troops deliberately massacred civilians. / Photo by Yonhap News

Allegations that Russian forces are massacring civilians arose on the 3rd. Irina Venediktova, Ukraine's Prosecutor General currently investigating Russian war crimes, stated that at least 410 civilian bodies brutally killed in areas such as Bucha, Hostomel, and Irpin have been recovered. These areas were occupied by Russian forces before they retreated.

Some bodies were found with their eyes covered and hands tied behind their backs, and nearly 300 bodies were discovered in a mass grave near a church. This could be evidence that Russian forces deliberately massacred civilians and hastily tried to hide the crime before leaving.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Russia's actions as "genocide" in an interview with the US media outlet CBS on the same day.

He emphasized, "(Russia) is trying to eliminate the entire nation and state of Ukraine," adding, "Because we are Ukrainian people and do not want to be ruled by the policies of the Russian Federation, they are destroying and annihilating us. This is happening in 21st-century Europe."

Genocide refers to the intentional destruction of all or part of a specific ethnic group. It is one of the four major international crimes prosecuted by the International Criminal Court, established in 2002. The court has already begun investigating war crimes and crimes against humanity charges against Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian leaders. If evidence emerges that Russian forces systematically massacred civilians, genocide charges are likely to be added.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.