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In early September, the Ukrainian armed forces launched two large-scale counter-offensives in the south and northeast of the country. Kiev claimed in mid-October that more than 600 cities had been liberated from the Russian occupiers within a month.

But not everyone is happy with the withdrawal: People who have collaborated with or are accused of working with the Russians have now been exposed – and in danger. Reports indicate that accusations are mounting in some of the liberated villages.

It was actually expected that these accusations would be heard, because “every war brings this situation, which has been observed time and again since Roman times,” explains Laurent Tissot, historian and honorary professor at the University of Neuchâtel. .

revenge and executions

Preventing the phenomenon seems impossible. The historian explains: “Soldiers and residents are given very specific instructions and are expected to inform the authorities if they believe someone has cooperated.” However, history has shown time and again that people tend to retaliate:

According to the historian, it is often only a small step from reporting to summary execution.

This has already been observed in Ukraine. The independent Russian website Mediazona reports on more than 27 more or less successful attempts to assassinate officials who had sided with the occupying forces.

Heavy prison sentences

But the question must be asked: can a cooperating official be equated with an ordinary citizen simply trying to survive? Tissot says: “The term ‘collaborator’ is associated with concrete forms of aid, but the border is fluid”, so you have to rely on the legislation of the individual countries.

Ukraine has passed or amended laws since the beginning of the conflict. Cooperation with the Russians in the occupied territories is punishable by long prison terms:

In addition, it should be noted that at first glance, more mundane acts in Ukraine are considered collaborative and therefore punishable by law. This includes support for the occupation forces, economic activities and public denial of the armed attack on Ukraine – including on the internet.

permanent scars

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the National Police take over any investigations. The task promises to be particularly difficult. Because “there are the resistance fighters on the one side and the collaborators on the other. There is a large gray area in between, Tissot explains.

A single action does not necessarily make you guilty. “People accused of collaborating with the Nazis claimed that they could not have acted differently when the occupiers asked them to give up their farm or their animals,” the professor recalled. A situation that is relevant again, given the poor equipment of the Russian soldiers.

The great difficulty is that the occupation in the minds of those affected does not end with the war, Tissot confirms: “People keep their memories alive and revenge actions can still be threatening decades after the events.”

The historian notes that this is all the more true because these dramas often take place in small villages where everyone knows everyone. Worse, sometimes it even happens within the same family. That can poison a society for years.

Given these risks, there is only one way to limit the damage, concludes Tissot: the judiciary must act quickly and correctly in order not to be left in the dark: “If things are not handled properly, the situation becomes very delicate.”

(Translated from French, yam)