by Robert M. Traxler

The Bucha Massacre in Ukraine in the northwest part of Ukraine and west of the Dnieper River was committed by the regular “professional” Russian Army soldiers, who are the best trained and equipped in the army. It is very hard to believe the crimes were committed by the rank and file of the Russian soldiers without the approval, direct or passive, of the leadership at the General Officer level.

Reports of 410 dead civilians, some with their hands tied, are concerning. Even the reports in western media of counting 21 dead in the streets are indicative of a classic war crime; the fact that no effort was made to cover the crime by removing the bodies translates to a unit out of control, and a deep hatred for the Ukrainian people.  

A true saying in all military forces is that the troops tend to mirror the personality of the commander. Given the scope and number of war crimes committed, it is hard for me to believe it was one soldier or one company sized unit that committed the crimes.

During my years in the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command (USACIDC), possible war crimes fell under our jurisdiction. We studied the history of war crimes involving civilians and the factors involved; poor leadership and a lack of discipline, coupled with a hatred for the enemy population, were almost always present. The dehumanizing of the victims must be present in a level past that of a single psychopath or sociopath; it must be systemic in a unit ethos.   

The Russian soldiers attacking south from Belarus were west of the Dnieper River, and were told that the Ukrainian people in that region were active supporters of the Nazi Fascists who were preparing to invade Mother Russia using nuclear weapons. East of the Dnieper were good Ukrainians, west of the Dnieper were all the enemy. 

We need to look to President Putin’s approval rating of nearly 86% as of April 2nd to understand the Russian media rationalizing the actions at Bucha as “staged” and “made up.” The Russians to this day deny the massacre in the Katyn Forest in WWII, where over 22,000 Polish citizens were murdered, even with undeniable proof. 

War is a brutal business, and the truth is always the first causality of any conflict. The 410 dead figure used by the Ukrainians may not be factual; however, multiple sources for the 21-plus dead from western media at this point is undeniable.

The brutally sad part of this crime is that it just may be the tip of the iceberg if the elite Russian forces, those who are the best trained, equipped and disciplined, are the culprits of this atrocity. God help the people of Ukraine when the second-tier forces join the battle. My opinion.