Why is Russia cosplaying Nazi Third Reich, asks Ukrainian UN Ambassador

Ukraine has accused Russia of acting like Nazis in launching an unprovoked attack on their neighbouring country.

Sergiy Kyslytsya, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Nations (UN) was addressing his Russian counterpart at the UN Security Council meeting on Thursday when he said “Over these weeks, the international community has wrestled with the question, why? Why has the Russian Federation decided to cosplay the Nazi Third Reich by attacking the peaceful neighbouring state and plunging the region into war?” 

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The ambassador further added, “What are the reasons and what is the plan? Yesterday, we got the answer: killing Ukrainian children, 108 innocent souls so far.” 

Notably, the Nazi rhetoric had initially been used by Russian President Vladimir Putin who hoped to tap into his country’s lingering hatred for the German extremists from World War II. Putin sent Russian troops into Ukraine claiming he wanted to “denazify” and “demilitarize” the country. 

Since then, this rhetoric has been challenged several times. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pointed to his Jewish heritage and Russia too, in its shelling, ended up attacking Holocaust memorial Babin Yar in the capital city, Kyiv. 

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The Ukrainian ambassador’s current statement comes at a time when Russia is already being condemned for committing war crimes. Ukraine and the UK were quick to label their actions due to Russia targeting civilians. Thus far, the US remained somewhat on the fence, with some officials calling Russian actions a war crime, and the government taking cognizance of civilians being hurt. However, no official declaration came until President Joe Biden himself called Putin a war criminal, shortly after Russia had imposed sanctions on the US President and several top Western officials, accusing them of “Russophobia“.  

Russian attacks in Ukraine has even targeted a maternity ward and cinema hall, both in the Azov Sea port city of Mariupol, where the condition worsens each day.