DOUGLAS MASON: Occupied Ukrainian cities show what Putin has in store, and one option is genocide
Residents describe a ruthless campaign of ‘Russification’ and a reign of terror by the occupiers
To find out what Russian President Vladimir Putin has in store for Ukrainians if his invasion ultimately succeeds, one need look no further than the captured areas of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, as well as Donetsk and Luhansk, all of which were formally annexed by Russia in September 2022. A ruthless campaign of “Russification” is being implemented, and any sign of Ukrainian identity and nationhood uprooted.
About half of the pre-war population has left occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, and for those who remain forcible integration into the Russian Federation, its laws and regulations has followed. The Russian curriculum is taught in schools, Ukrainian news sites are blocked on the internet and state Russian narratives are broadcast on local news...
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