Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Another case of attrocities committed by the Russian army.
Another case of atrocities committed by the Russian army.
What is happening?
Russian forces have reportedly killed a couple and abducted their underage daughter in the village of Shandryholove, Donetsk Oblast, according to a Sept. 24 statement by Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps.
The girl is being used as a human shield in active combat along the Lyman front.
A front-line village
The attack took place in an area under the responsibility of Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps.
Shandryholove, a front-line settlement in eastern Ukraine, has seen ongoing clashes since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
A pattern of civilian killings
This incident is part of a broader trend of violence.
Ukrainian officials have documented numerous cases of Russian troops murdering civilians in combat zones, forming a disturbing pattern of abuse across occupied areas.
“Use the girl as a shield”
Intercepted communications reportedly reveal chilling instructions from a Russian commander, known by the callsign “Bali.”
His order: “Kill everyone indiscriminately — except for the children.”
The girl was then taken to protect advancing Russian forces from Ukrainian fire.
Shocking evidence captured on video
A video released by Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps includes drone footage of the hostage-taking and intercepted audio confirming the Russian commander’s orders.
The footage shows Russian troops entering a civilian home, allegedly killing the parents, and abducting the girl.
We have chosen not to show screenshots from the video out of respect for the abducted girl.
A calculated war crime
“All radio intercepts confirm that Russian actions were premeditated,” Ukrainian forces stated.
The use of a child as a human shield is a violation of international humanitarian law and constitutes a war crime under the Geneva Conventions.
A grim record of abuse
This incident adds to a growing body of evidence accusing Russia of war crimes, including torture, summary executions, and the killing of prisoners of war.
Independent investigations have documented such acts throughout the full-scale invasion.
Children caught in the crossfire
The U.N. reports that more than 2,000 children have been killed in Ukraine since 2022.
The actual number is likely higher, as Russia has blocked independent access to many occupied areas. The psychological toll on surviving children is also severe.
One in five children has lost a loved one
UNICEF, the U.N.’s children’s agency, noted in February that one in every five children in Ukraine has lost a relative or friend due to the war.
The ongoing conflict continues to rob thousands of children of their safety, families, and futures.
A war without limits
From targeting civilians to weaponizing children, the conflict in Ukraine has repeatedly crossed moral and legal red lines.
As the international community watches, calls for accountability grow louder — but justice remains elusive.
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, which may have used AI in the preparation
