Russian Troops Using 'Sexual Assault' as a Weapon to Break Ukrainian Morale

Mother Reveals Story of Daughter Raped and Murdered on CNN... "Shot Her Legs First to Immobilize"
Kyiv Police Chief: "Sexual Assault Victims Reluctant to Confirm Facts"

On the 3rd (local time), Ukrainian soldiers are passing through a street littered with the wreckage of destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha, a small city on the outskirts of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Se-eun] CNN reported the story of Ukrainian mother Andri Dereko, whose daughter was killed by Russian troops and is believed to have been sexually assaulted.

On the 22nd (local time), Andri Dereko stated on the broadcast that her daughter Karina Yershova, who lost contact in Bucha, was sexually assaulted by Russian troops.

According to Dereko, her daughter Yershova was staying in the nearby city of Bucha when Russia advanced toward Kyiv after invading Ukraine.

Later, in early last month, Russian troops surrounded Bucha. This was when Yershova was hiding in an apartment with two friends.

She reportedly told family members nearby that she "left the apartment to go to the supermarket," after which contact was lost.

Dereko, searching for Yershova’s whereabouts, learned that a photo of a corpse with a tattoo similar to her daughter’s had been posted on Telegram.

The Telegram account was created by a detective to identify bodies after Russian troops withdrew from Bucha.

Dereko said, "According to the police, Yershova was shot in the leg, became immobile, was then killed, and may have been raped."

Experts explained that Russian troops commit sexual assaults to break the morale of the Ukrainian people.

Psychologist Alessandra Kvitko, who conducts phone consultations with victims of the Ukraine invasion, said, "Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reports of sexual assault have sharply increased," adding, "Fifty cases were reported within weeks, involving not only women but also children and adult men."

She further pointed out, "By deliberately using sexual assault, they aim to break Ukraine’s morale and destroy the spirit of resistance."

Psychologist Vasylisa Levchenko, who provides free counseling to help Ukrainians overcome war trauma, revealed that she has interviewed about 50 women in the Kyiv region who were sexually assaulted by Russian troops.

Levchenko criticized, "Russian troops are doing everything they can to show they are in a dominant position," and "This proves they completely despise the Ukrainian people."

She added, "Many sexual assault victims are not yet ready to speak to Ukrainian authorities or international judicial bodies," and "Healing is needed first."

In fact, sexual assault victims have been reluctant to disclose this information publicly.

On the same day, Kyiv Regional Police Chief Nebitow said, "We have only confirmed one suspected case of rape," explaining, "Although we have heard that there are many rape victims, women refuse to confirm the facts."

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