On October 1, our Association’s expert Olena Stadnik took an active part in the work of the 2024 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, as a key annual event of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. In addition to participating in a number of side events and actively discussing the practical achievements of our Association with the delegates of OSCE democratic member countries, expert Stadnik spoke at two plenary panels of the conference, dedicated to the humanitarian dimension and democratic processes in the region.
During Plenary session “Humanitarian Issues” Olena Stadnik stressed on own experience, as father of her son, officer of Ukrainian Army, was prisoner of war, captured by Russian army in Kherson Region in 2022 and exchanged in 2024. He was kept in Russia-occupied Crimea and later in Russia itself, being tortured by Russian punitive personnel and being kept there in inhuman and degrading conditions.
Stadnik reminded to delegates of OSCE participating states, that Russia refused to execute demands of Geneva Convention in part of Protecting Powers in current conflict, and such refusal must be punished by all civilized nations despite of their sympathies to Ukrainians or to democracy.
“Tolerating negligence to Geneva demands in current conflict brings war to Your doors much faster than You think”, added Association’s representative. Stadnik added, that Russia misuses the weakness and corruption in Red Cross structures in Geneva and that OSCE states must not tolerate Russian spy activities as it continues with case of Berlin nest of so-called “lawyers” for “Document” Enterprise like Karl Eckstein and others.
Stadnik called all civilized member States to start national criminal investigation against Russian highest officials on issue of committed genocide and war crimes regarding principle of universal jurisdiction.
During Plenary session “Democratic Institutions” Olena Stadnik stressed that Russian aggression against Ukraine, attempted annexation of Crimea and four Ukrainian mainland regions made total destructive influence on democratic institutions in all OSCE region.
And the scope of situation is not only in the impossibility to hold any local or national elections in Ukraine during last three years. Russia’s attacks on democracy continue in all Europe, and now the dramatic fight against tyranny develops in Georgia, Russian terroristic activities enforced in Moldova, ARC’s expert added.
Olena Stadnik stressed that new wave of authoritarian repressions against fundamental human rights started during aggressor’s illegal “presidential elections” that were organized in Russia-occupied territory in March 2024, and later in illegal invaders’ “regional elections” in Crimea in September 2024.
At the same time, Stadnik pointed, Russia uses own agents in the OSCE electoral monitoring missions to undermine the idea of democratic elections in all civilized states of the region.
Stadnik added to conference delegates, that our Association proved in own investigation this September the usage by Russian intelligence since 2022 Crimea collaborator Tatyana Khmil, long term director of key enterprises in business empire of Dmytro Tabachnik, Russia-controlled Crimean tycoon and formed Ukrainian minister of Yanukovich period, for business contacts with Ryan Wesley Routh, who is accused now in United States of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at a Florida golf club on September 15.
As Tatyana Khmil, so Dmytro Tabachnik, are essencial tools of Russian intelligence and their collaborating with Ryan Routh became evident after common photos were published this September, made in April, 2022 in Kyiv, Stadnik pointed. Tabachniks are not the only tools of Russian interference in United States’ presidential elections this year, so OSCE electoral monitoring missions must pay special attention to this issue, finalysed the ARC’s expert.
