A central figure in the pro-European Ukrainian protests recently recounted his horrific experience at the hands of suspected government agents, including the horrific injuries he sustained after being detained by pro-government forces.
The description of Dmytro Bulatov injuries sound more like something out of Game of Thrones than the actions of a nation seeking to build closer ties with its European neighbors.
“I was crucified,” Bulatov told a local TV station. “All my body is covered in blood. I didn’t even see them because they kept my eyes blindfolded. They had Russian accents. I couldn’t even see because all the time I was in darkness.”
His hands have puncture wounds in keeping with his claims. The left side of his face was horrifically slashed into tatters and his right ear was mutilated.
Bulatov disappeared 9 days ago after leaving his home to meet someone. At the time, it was suspected that the father of three had been kidnapped. There had been a steady rise in protesters being targeted by government agents as Kiev engaged in almost medieval conflict.
Anti-government protesters have laid virtual siege to various government buildings, including building a walled compound made of ice-filled sandbags encrusted with razor wire as the protests against President Viktor Yanukovich have become more entrenched. So far, six people have been killed, and the level of violence in the central European region has escalated so fast that the State Department has dispatched John Kerry to meet with” major figures in the Ukrainian opposition” while he attends the Munich Security Conference this weekend.
President Barack Obama referenced the Ukrainian struggle in the State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday night — behind the scenes, congressional aides have said that “The Obama administration is preparing financial sanctions that could be imposed on Ukrainian officials and protest leaders if violence escalates.”
“The situation in Ukraine remains very volatile and more needs to be done,” said New York Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel. “We must remain engaged.”