DISINFO: Charles Michel’s claims about Russian soldiers raping in Ukraine are unfounded, there is no evidence
SUMMARY
Hysteria against Russia must touch some sensitive nerves. Earlier, it was the narrative about a “ruthless attack”. And now we can add the howling of Mr. Charles Michel in the UN Security Council about unfounded war crimes based in raping and sexual aggressions by Russia, without presenting any evidence, because it is necessary to make noise.
RESPONSE
This disinformation story appeared on 08 June 2022, two days after a tense meeting at the UN Security Council in which the Russian representative Vassily Nebenzia stormed out after a series of diplomats, including UN special envoy for sexual violence in conflict Pramila Patten, gave incriminatory testimony of raping, sexual abuses and atrocities committed by Russian invading forces in Ukraine.
Contrary to what this disinformation story claims, there is plenty of evidence on raping and sexual abuses against Ukrainian women by Russian invading soldiers. Multiple testimonies and proofs have been collected by the UN, international human rights organisations, journalists and specialized NGOs, or offered by surviving victims themselves.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that accusations about Russian war military crimes are unacceptable as there are a lot of fakes in this topic, that accusations about Bucha are as false as claims that Russia bombed a maternity hospital in Mariupol, that the Russian military does not strike civilian infrastructure, or that Russian progress in Ukraine is slow because Russia is careful and precise in its strikes.