Below is an excerpt from an editorial that China’s state-run media Global Times wrote on the “Bucha killing” in Ukraine:

“The United Nations Security Council held a meeting on April 5, discussing the  Ukraine situation, with the ‘Bucha incident’ being the focus. Ukraine alleged that the Russian army killed a large number of civilians during the occupation of Bucha which is located in the western suburbs of Kyiv. Russia resolutely denied it and submitted the evidence of the Ukraine side’s fake propaganda to the Council.”

“Unfortunately, after the ‘Bucha incident’ was exposed, the initiator (the United States) of the Ukrainian crisis has not shown any signs of urging peace and promoting talks. On the contrary, it is ready to exacerbate the Russia-Ukraine tensions and create obstacles to the peace talks between the two sides by increasing sanctions against Russia, providing more weapons to Ukraine, and continuously pressuring Russia in diplomacy and in public opinion. In particular, Washington expressed that it will provide a series of heavy weapons systems to Ukraine. The U.S. national security consultant, Jake Sullivan, said that the extent and depth of sending weapons and military equipment to Ukraine will be ‘unprecedented.’ We have to say, it is very irresponsible to fan the flames.

“Many Western media describe the ‘Bucha incident’ as the turning point in the Russian conflict. This is a vague judgment. Is it a direction in which the situation is further deteriorating? This is precisely why the peace-loving people need to be vigilant. At present, the direction of  the ‘Bucha incident’ seems to have deviated from the normal orbit, and the elements of a public opinion war and psychological war are getting stronger. However, any attempt to use the Ukrainian crisis so as to unilaterally occupy the ‘moral high-ground,’ and continuously push up conflicts to extract the geostrategic interests, will in the end, trigger a larger humanitarian tragedy.

“People have reason to suspect that some people in the U.S. and the West are hiding a ‘double standard’ and a not so simple political purpose over the ‘Bucha incident.’ The reason is that, over the years, the military forces of some countries have committed numerous crimes in killing civilians with impunity. According to incomplete statistics, as many as 100,000 Afghan civilians have died under U.S. gunfire, and a significant number of them were children. The Australian special forces have killed 39 unarmed Afghan civilians, including juveniles, by slitting their throats only for ‘practice.’ What’s more, in order to obstruct the International Criminal Court’s (ICC’s) investigation of U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan, the U.S. government went so far as to restrict the issuance of visas for ICC staff and threatened to impose sanctions on them.”

The “‘Bucha incident’ once again reminded the international community that, while having a serious investigation, it is also necessary to avoid fanning the flames and ‘passing the knife.’”

Source: Global Times, April 5, 2022
https://opinion.huanqiu.com/article/47UHALnFtHl