KYIV, UKRAINE -- Ukrainians are marking their patriotism with new tattoos as more evidence emerges of how Russian forces have targeted male civilians.
鈥淢en were detained, beaten, summarily executed and, in some cases, taken to Belarus and Russia,鈥� UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in to the UN Security Council. 鈥淎s of 4 May, my office had documented 180 such cases, of which five victims were eventually found dead.鈥�
But in Kyiv, tattoo artist Ruslan Tsvetnov says attacks on civilians haven鈥檛 deterred a surge of clients looking to get patriotic symbols like the Ukrainian trident.
鈥淚 warn them of the risks of getting one,鈥� he told CTV National News鈥� National Affairs Correspondent Omar Sachedina. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a visible target for the enemy.鈥�
That doesn鈥檛 faze Viktor, who was getting a tattoo at Tsvetnov鈥檚 studio.
鈥淯kraine is part of me and I am part of it,鈥� he told CTV National News.
Ana Sybirska has a new tattoo with a clear message: 鈥淩ussian warship go f*** yourself.鈥� Those words commemorate a Ukrainian鈥檚 soldier鈥檚 reply when asked to surrender to a ship believed to be the now-sunken Moskva.
People are now starting to return to the capital, where Sybirska has stayed through the war. She says she travels to the frontlines with friends to deliver medical supplies and equipment and will do so for as long as it takes.
鈥淣o one knows what鈥檚 going to happen,鈥� she told CTV News, referring to Russia鈥檚 president. 鈥淲ho knows what this crazy man [Putin] will do?鈥�
