Russia’s nuclear threats require world to stand strong with Ukraine: envoy

A United Nations inquiry into Russian atrocities in Ukraine determined on Thursday that war crimes including rape, torture and confinement of children have been committed.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to levy nuclear threats and “crazy messaging,” the most important thing for the world to do is to stand strong and not back down from supporting Ukraine, says Canada’s ambassador to the eastern European country.

In an interview with The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson, Larisa Galadza said the advice she hears over and over from Ukrainians is about both the need for more weapons to win back “every square metre” of territory, and for the world to refuse to be cowed by Putin’s threats.

“Those are not new threats. That is something that we’ve heard from Putin before,” she said. “And as the Ukrainians say, they don’t believe them but you have to take them seriously. And the Ukrainians themselves say the way to do that is to show strength in the face of those threats and to not give in, and to not stand down.”

Galadza, who has been Canada’s ambassador to Ukraine since 2019, spoke from Kyiv where — just like in Canada — many children are returning to the school year as autumn arrives.

But not all of them can, she said.

“A lot of children have not gone back to school because they don’t have bomb shelters.”

Russian forces have repeatedly struck civilian targets during the seven-month invasion, including hospitals, schools, daycares and residential buildings. And as their forces retreat amid a fierce Ukrainian counteroffensive, the carnage of the Russian assault is increasingly laid clear.

“The exhumation of bodies continues in Izium — 445 bodies,” Galadza added. “And that’s just this week.”