In recent days, the Australian-Ukrainian community has watched on in horror as images of utter devastation and destruction emerged from Bucha, Kyiv.

We are calling on the Australian Government to do more. We urge you to cut all diplomatic ties with Russia and work with partners and allies in the US, EU, and UN to create a special tribunal and prosecute Putin for his war crimes.

Over the past week, several EU countries have announced their intentions to expel more than 325 Russian diplomats, naming the atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine as their motive. These countries include Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Sweden. We urge Australia to do the same. The images that have surfaced from the Kyiv Oblast this week are sickening, depicting the indiscriminate murder and torture of innocent civilians. These vile acts undoubtedly amount to genocide.

The Embassy of Russia in Australia regularly releases statements in support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A recent post on their official Facebook page, dated 5 April 2022, reads “what happened in Bucha is a false flag attack by the [Kiev] regime and its Western sponsors”. Another post, dated 4 April 2022, reads “the photos and video footage from Bucha are another hoax, a staged production by the [Kiev] regime for the Western media”. We call on the Australian Government to expel the Russian Ambassador – Dr. Alexey Pavlovsky. There should be no place in Australia for diplomats that amplify Putin’s propaganda and parrot his lies. 

As a country that was proudly founded on the liberal principles of freedom and democracy, Australia cannot, in good faith, continue to allow Russian diplomats to work against the cohesion of our society.

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