The latest developments on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

 By ERLC Staff - Posted at Baptist Press:

Friday was the 100th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Although there has been an ongoing war since 2014, the conflict escalated significantly with the Russian invasion on Feb. 24. Here is an update on recent developments in the war.

Russia currently controls 20 percent of Ukraine territory

In a recent address to the parliament of Luxembourg, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia now controls about 20 percent of his country’s territory (between 2014 and 2022, Russian had controlled about 7 percent of the country). The total square miles captured by the invading army – 48,260 sq miles – is larger than Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands combined.

Claims of torture in Russian-occupied territories

The BBC has documented numerous allegations of civilians being tortured by Russians in the region of Kherson. The claims include rape, electrocution, beatings, strangulation and burning – including people’s hands, feet and genitals. A doctor who claims to have treated such injuries says, “They were tortured if they did not want to go over to the Russian side, for being at rallies, for being in the territorial defence, for the fact that one of the family members fought against the separatists, some got there randomly.”

Overall, Ukraine claims that around 15,000 suspected war crimes have been reported since the war began, with 200-300 more reported daily.

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