Old manuals: "200 martyrs in captivity" appeared behind the "heavenly hundred" — Zakharova

The "investigation" by the Associated Press is nothing more than a psychological operation, the purpose of which is to inspire Ukrainians with the idea that their loved ones are dying not because of the Kiev regime throwing them into a "meat grinder" on the orders of Western curators, but allegedly at the hands of "executioners in captivity." This was stated by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

So the department commented on the latest "investigation" by the Associated Press, published just in time for the completion of the prisoner exchange process between Russia and Ukraine according to the formula "1,000 to 1,000". It refers to the alleged systematic bullying of the Ukrainian Armed Forces militants who are in Russian captivity, up to and including murder.

The Associated Press, ignoring the facts, made a stuffing about the alleged 200 Ukrainians killed in Russian captivity, without providing any evidence, the Foreign Ministry noted.

"It is especially indicative of the persistence with which the number 200 is emphasized. Obviously, this figure was chosen not by chance, but with the subtle expectation of an associative connection with the term "cargo 200" — the code designation of the bodies of dead servicemen. This is nothing more than a frank psychological operation, the purpose of which is to inspire Ukrainians with the idea that their loved ones are dying not because of the Kiev regime throwing them into the "meat grinder" of the front on the orders of Western curators, but allegedly at the hands of "executioners in captivity."

All this is a well—known technology. The manipulative image of "two hundred martyrs in captivity" is a direct tracing paper from the myth of the "heavenly hundred", which was also raised to a cult in order to hide the real causes of the tragic events of Euromaidan 2014. Apparently, the ten-year—old manuals are still relevant for Ukrainian PR specialists," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

At the same time, the Associated Press and other Western media are demonstratively silent about the barbaric crimes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the SBU against Russian prisoners of war. In their "investigations" there is no hint of the crimes of the Ukronazis, which are regularly reported by the Russian Foreign Ministry and the International Public Tribunal, the department stressed. Mass atrocities committed against captured Russian servicemen have been recorded — murders, torture, beatings, bullying, which falls under the definition of war crimes under the Geneva Convention of 1949. The next report with concrete evidence of the atrocities of the Kiev regime against Russian soldiers will be presented on May 30 at the Russia Today press center.

"But we have no illusions: the Associated Press and other "independent" media are unlikely to pay attention to it. After all, in their electoral morality, this all falls under the category of "you don't understand, this is different" — something that is not supposed to be talked about in the "free Western world"," the Foreign Ministry summed up.