The cruelty of the Russian soldiers shown by those who have been in their hands

2023-05-29 08:53:00, Blog CNA

Julia Paievska is known by the nickname "Taira". She has a sharp and sweet look, and wears a jacket full of badges, with her arms tattooed. His body is like a living symbol of resistance, a sort of eternal reminder that the end can be reached at any moment in history.

"Taira", a Ukrainian paramedic/medic, used a body camera to record the work of her rescue unit during the horrific siege of Mariupol. At one point he was imprisoned by the Russian army, only to be released later after an international mobilization.

Winner of the 2022 Sakharov Prize, she is perhaps the best example of how the Ukrainian people are experiencing this war of conquest, and how every story is the story of a body and a war.

"Taira", you chose this nickname from a character in the video game "World of Warcraft", whose main feature is grace and hope. She is a warrior who does not lose her humanity. After a very harsh imprisonment, are you able to maintain these values ??as the heroine of the video game? What did this experience mean to you?

It's something you can't imagine until you try it. Being in the hands of the Russians is so terrible that it generates repression because the brain refuses to believe that something so terrible exists. Because it is in the nature of people not to believe inhuman behavior, torture, hunger and thirst.

When a prisoner like me survives torture, a mental defense mechanism can be activated that even vindicates Russia. This was not my case because I was clear about what was happening, how and why.

In Italy, Russian war crimes are belittled by many media, by many intellectuals and journalists...

I love Italy very much, I feel the Italian spirit, and I want the Italian people to understand what it means to be in the hands of the Russians. For example, try to imagine that everything that you considered precious about yourself, that you loved, suddenly falls apart, every moment of your life is turned upside down. Even the values ??on which you have based your life are exposed to public ridicule and distorted by the enemy. Torture is physical and mental.

Didn't being a paramedic help you?

No. During the 8 years I was on the battlefield, my professional duty was to save the lives of people, Ukrainians and Russians, and I tried to do my best to save them. I never imagined I would hurt them and I know every doctor I know would do the same.

I have always been very proud of this behavior of my colleagues. This shows how noble our work is. When I was arrested and imprisoned, I and other doctors were accused of terrible things like organ trafficking, torture, refusing to provide medical care to Russians.

Imagjinoni, gjithçka për të cilën keni punuar kaq shumë në realitet shtrembërohet plotësisht përmes gënjeshtrave. Më e keqja ishte se ata as që janë përpjekur të gjejnë prova për këto akuza. Ajo që bënë ishte torturimi ynë i vazhdueshëm për të na detyruar të pohojmë diçka që nuk e kemi bërë kurrë. Jemi filmuar duke u torturuar në mënyrë sadiste.

Një sjellje që i ka rrënjët te nazizmi. Të duket se dëgjon dëshmitë e të burgosurve politikë të Via Tasso...

Mendoj se është diçka që vjen edhe nga mesjeta, sepse atë që kam vuajtur unë në burg e kam lexuar vetëm në librat e historisë. Ata përdorin goditjet elektrike, hekurat dhe rrahjen. Unë isha mbyllur në një strukturë që merrej vetëm me torturën dhe kjo sjellje ishte për ta një normë, dhe jo një përjashtim.

Si jeton një i burgosur pas lirimit?

Të burgosurit jetojnë edhe pas një viti janë në kushte të tmerrshme. Rehabilitimi fizik dhe psikologjik kërkon shumë kohë. Unë kam parë gra dhe madje edhe fëmijë të torturuar.

Rusët besojnë se mund të bëjnë çfarë të duan, sepse bota ka heshtur për një kohë të gjatë.

Për shembull, ata morën peng mjekët, edhe pse sipas ligjit ndërkombëtar ata nuk mund të burgosen. Njerëz që shpëtojnë jetë përmes detyrës së tyre quhen kriminelë nga rusët.

Biseda me ju është e rëndësishëm, por ajo lë pas një ndjenjë pafuqie. Çfarë mund të bëjë opinioni publik evropian për këtë situatë?

I ask you to make a special appeal for the illegally imprisoned civilians who are kept in cells without access to any international support. The International Committee of the Red Cross has no influence on this situation. The problem of children held in captivity is also very terrible, because their conditions are worse than those of slaves./ Adapted from CNA.al