Holocaust museums from 4 countries condemn Russian war crimes in Ukraine

17 Holocaust museums for four countries have spoken out against potential war crimes by Russian forces during their invasion of Ukraine.

Institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and South Africa issued a joint statement on Monday reaffirming their shared mission to educate people about the horrors of the past to make sure they are not repeated.

“We at Holocaust museums around the world have a particular mission. The stories we tell are ones of destruction and pain, and of the nobility of upstanders who risked their lives to do what was right and help others,” the statement reads.

“We not only aim to educate, to honor our Survivors’ wishes that their stories are not forgotten, but to make a better future where the stories we tell are no longer repeated.”

The signatories expressed horror at the stories of war crimes emerging from the Russian war in Ukraine, referring to the 1941 “Holocaust by Bullets,” when 33,771 Jews were shot in Kyiv, Ukraine, by Nazi troops 80 years ago.

“We are angered by today’s stories of children with their hands zip tied and buried in shallow graves,” the statement said.

“We are angered by the horrific reports of rape and wanton destruction of lives by the Russian army. These are war crimes, and if we, as the bearers of history, do not speak out, then we have failed in our mission.”

The 17 museums called on their governments to do more to stop further atrocities and supported the investigation of the International Criminal Court into war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Ukraine.  

The American museums that signed included those based in Illinois, Florida, Texas, Indiana, Washington, Ohio, California and Missouri.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has attempted to justify the invasion as a “special military action” to oust the “neo-Nazis” in the Ukrainian government, despite the fact Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is Jewish.

Russian bombs hit the site of Babyn Yar, the ravine where the “Holocaust by Bullets” occurred, in the early days of the invasion.

Ukrainian authorities plan to seek justice for the systematic sexual assault of women by Russian forces through the ICC.