Sunday News

Zelenskyy rages at Amnesty

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected Amnesty Internatio­nal’s claim that his forces turned schools and hospitals into targets for Russia.

Zelenskyy said the human rights group was ‘‘shifting the responsibi­lity from the aggressor to the victim’’.

‘‘There cannot be any condition under which any Russian attack on Ukraine becomes justified. Aggression against our state is unprovoked, invasive and frankly [an act of terror],’’ he said.

The report said: ‘‘Ukrainian forces have put civilians in harm’s way by establishi­ng bases and operating weapons systems in populated residentia­l areas, including in schools and hospitals, as they repelled the Russian invasion that began in February.’’

Kyiv said the allegation­s by ‘‘foreigners’’ were ‘‘naive’’.

Amnesty said: ‘‘Our findings on Ukrainian violations come in the context of our continued condemnati­on of Russia’s invasion. We continue to call for Russian forces to be held accountabl­e for serious violations of internatio­nal humanitari­an law and war crimes.’’

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