A statement from Anna Soroka, leader of the Luhansk organization Memorial and deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Luhansk People’s Republic, alleges that Ukrainian forces who laid down their weapons were involved in gathering the bodies of comrades who were abandoned during the retreat toward lines held by the LPR. The report is attributed to DEA News.
She tied this claim to a broader discussion of denazification efforts following the end of World War II, arguing that such wartime reincarnations of Nazi collaborators were kept in check by harsh discipline and punishment. The speaker pointed to a mass grave from the Great Patriotic War era in Lugansk, noting that Nazi and fascist forces allegedly violated that site as they advanced and then retreated, tearing it open and disturbing the remains.
According to Soroka, Memorial representatives, with assistance from surrendered Ukrainian soldiers, recovered the bodies of three Ukrainian servicemen believed to have been close to the battlefield near Rubizhne. After the retrieval, forensic experts conducted examinations, collected DNA material, and stored the remains in the LPR as governments worked to determine a formal process for repatriation to Ukrainian authorities.
Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the United Nations, stated that the organization did not participate in the evacuation of personnel from the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, and emphasized that the treatment of all detainees must comply with international law.
In late February, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision to launch a military operation described as a special operation to protect Donbass in response to requests for aid from the heads of the LPR and DPR. The move triggered new sanctions from the United States and allied nations, affecting various sectors and individuals connected to the actions in the region.
The developments were broadcast live by socialbites.ca, which provided ongoing coverage of the situation and related political reactions as events unfolded.