NEWS AND OPINION: On social media there is a trend developing and it is this. Ukrainian troops are seen to be sensitive to the needs of the many abandoned stray animals, normally both cats and dogs. You see video clips of Ukrainian soldiers feeding nervous stray dogs. These dogs are fearful and they run away initially but eventually through patience and offering a treat they make friends with the animal. And in this TikTok video you see an unnamed soldier making friends with a stray dog. There is tenderness in the relationship. And there is mutual benefit, it has to be said.
This is definitely a symbiotic relationship in which both parties benefit. This is a gentle, giving attitude towards the innocent and the vulnerable, and let’s not forget that the abandoned companion animals of Ukraine are the innocent, vulnerable victims as are women and children.
Set against this attitude of Ukrainian troops, we have stories emerging on social media of retreating Russian troops leaving behind a trail of misery and destruction in which dogs have been killed for food because they are supplied with insufficient rations. And, in another example, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on Twitter photographs of two dogs – one alive, the other dead – from Bucha, liberated from Russian forces at the beginning of the month. This is the notorious location of murdered civilians with their hands tied behind their back on their heads covered. I have a still photo from that video which you can see. Please read on.
They said: “In this yard three people and the dog were killed. The shepherd [German Shepherd dog] miraculously escaped, now the dog is back and does not move away from the dead friend”. The image of this dog is on another page where there are no adverts. You will stay on this page at the same time.
Bucha was the first town occupied by Russian troops to be seen and visited by Western journalists in order to try and verify alleged Russian war crimes first hand. Jeremy Bowen, a BBC journalist, has visited either this town and/or a place nearby to video alleged war crimes, for instance. I hope his work is passed on to the investigating authorities.
In neighbouring Hostomel, allegedly Russian soldiers burnt down a stable with at least 30 horses inside killing many of them. I believe that eight escaped. The short film was produced by Hromadske, a leading independent Ukrainian news outlet created in 2013. Below is a picture of the burnt stables. And you can read the story of this crime by clicking on this link.
There are photographs and videos of a German Shepherd dog rolling over for a tickle from a rifleman. And a black dog doing high fives with a soldier. There are other images of a mongrel puppy nibbling on a Ukrainian soldier’s gloved hand in a montage. These reflect the respectful attitude of Ukrainian soldiers. The reports are of Russian troops acting barbarically in many ways against humans and animals.
Agree totally except the Russians have not behaved like animals. Animals are way better.
Ukraine intercepted a phone call between a woman and Russian soldier where she told him to go ahead and rape but don’t tell her and wear a condom! Killing civilians and their pets, raping women and children including boys, sliting women’s throats after raping them for days, killing civilians with their hands and feet tied etc etc etc shows the whole world what animals Russian Soldiers truly are. I have seen so much this last 47 days that I will be happy to see Putin’s Russian empire fall twice in my life time…