The pictures from Butscha have horrified the world in the last few days. After the Russian troops withdrew, hundreds of people lay murdered and in some cases tortured as if randomly thrown on the streets of the city. Bodies are still being recovered for further examination and thus to secure evidence for possible prosecution. Surviving eyewitnesses reported the particular cruelty with which these murders were carried out. The final number of victims is still not known because not all houses have been searched individually. As of Wednesday evening, April 6th, 320 victims have been reported ( HERE ). Even Ukrainian President Zelensky personally examined the situation in Bucha and was deeply shocked.
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The radio traffic
The intercepted radio messages come from troops north of Kiev. Murders of civilians were discussed, which, according to information from Spiegel, could possibly be assigned to specific deaths from Butscha, for example a civilian who was shot while riding his bicycle and simply left lying there. This information corresponds to statements from survivors from Butscha who had to witness such murders from their hiding places. Another frightening statement from the radio messages is said to be: First you question soldiers, then you shoot them ( HERE ).
In addition to the countless deaths on the streets and in the residential areas of Butsch, a mass grave was also discovered. Many of the dead were tied up or showed signs of torture.
Civilians not killed by accident
It is said to be clear from the intercepted radio messages that the Russian troops were aware that their victims were civilians. According to Spiegel, there are clear signs that these atrocities, the killing of civilians, are seen as normal and even possibly part of a strategy. Fear and terror should be spread among the civilian population in order to stifle any resistance ( HERE ). It is precisely this broad resistance not only from the Ukrainian army, but also from civilians, both male and female, who have joined the volunteer army known as territorial defense, that is causing major problems for the Russian troops, as it was probably completely underestimated when planning the war of aggression.
What is now clear is that the fighting by Russian troops not only accidentally cost the lives of civilians, but that this is also a well-known fact in troop leadership. This is in contrast to statements from the Kremlin that Russian troops are not responsible for civilian casualties. Moscow vehemently denies this connection and speaks of fake photos and videos. Thanks to the BND's new findings, there are now usable findings to prove the opposite.
Other locations affected?
The interception logs also show that the radio messages not only talked about the Butscha murders, but also from other places. It is therefore to be feared that similar war crimes will come to light in other cities in the future. The murders in Bucha can clearly be attributed to Russian troops. This is proven by satellite images from the time when Butscha was still occupied by Russian troops and after the withdrawal. The many bodies in the streets can be proven at both times ( HERE ).
Der Spiegel also reports that the BND has already informed the responsible parliamentary bodies about its findings. According to this, mercenary troops such as the Wagner group ( HERE ), known for their cruelty, were also directly involved in these atrocities ( HERE ).
Conclusion
It is clear from the radio communications of Russian troops intercepted by the German Federal Intelligence Service that the atrocities in Butscha were no coincidence. The people were killed intentionally and arbitrarily, even though and perhaps even because they were civilians. Often tortured too. The aim was to cause fear and terror. In other words: terror! The Kremlin denies this, but the evidence is on the table.
Also read the fact check on the Russian plans for mass graves
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )