P111. The discourse of Russian authorities and its influence on the commission of international crimes against the Ukrainian civilian population.

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Abstract

This poster presents research on the etiology of international crimes committed by the Russian army in the context of its invasion of Ukraine. Specifically, it examines the discourse of the highest Russian authorities and how this discourse can influence the systematic abuses and violations committed against the civilian population by the occupying forces. The study highlights that the adoption of a particular ideological discourse by the Russian authoritarian regime has created a highly conducive environment for the perpetration of international crimes by its troops on Ukrainian territory. This has been possible because the highest authorities construct their war rhetoric using all the techniques of neutralization developed by Sykes and Matza (1957), thus providing moral justification for criminal actions carried out by their forces. The research emphasizes that acts of genocide are often committed by ordinary individuals with no direct connection to the highest levels of the state and not necessarily in response to explicit orders from their superiors or government institutions. However, it is precisely the state that, through its ideological discourse, shapes a scenario in which the commission of atrocities is perceived not necessarily as obligatory but at least as justifiable. In this regard, the study concludes that Russian government institutions, through anti-Ukrainian propaganda, legitimize and reinforce the hatred harbored by their troops toward the Ukrainian civilian population, thereby facilitating the perpetration of international crimes.

Author

• Leanid Kazyrytski, University of Girona