Russia Planned Genocide in Ukraine, Says Budanov
Russian forces were preparing to kill Ukrainians before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. This is according to Vadym Budanov, Ukraine’s chief intelligence officer.
Budanov said that Russian soldiers created lists of people to target, including teachers, journalists, and priests. He also stated that Russia had prepared mobile crematoriums and mass graves for the killings.
The atrocities committed by Russian forces in several Ukrainian towns, such as Borodyanka, Bucha, and Mariupol, show a clear pattern of genocide, Budanov said. He added that these actions were based on the government‘s and military leadership’s policies.
In an article published just before the invasion, the Western publication Foreign Policy reported that Russia was compiling lists of Ukrainian politicians, activists, and journalists to kill or arrest during the war.