Why the Russian invaders make crippling police a priority
Mitzi Perdue
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Walking along a dirt road in her village, a Ukrainian grandmother notices five men walking toward her. It’s dangerous to stare at them, but even from just a quick glance as they pass by, she senses something isn’t right — they’re not local. “These guys don’t fit in,” she thinks. “They’re all in their 20s. They’re muscular. Maybe they’re infiltrators.”
Within minutes, she has contacted the police, reporting her suspicions. The police react rapidly to her tip, intercept the five men, and discover they have heavy-duty explosives hidden in their clothes, which they were planning to plant on a nearby bridge.
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This scenario is unfortunately common in Ukraine today. Saving the bridge, in this case, depended on both vigilant citizens and, most of all, a strong and efficient police force.
When I visited Ukraine for five days in December 2022, I spoke to the Kyiv Regional Police to gain insight into why the Russian Federation invaders make incapacitating the local police a top priority when invading a country. In each of the 12 wars they’ve been involved with since 1991, the Russians have systematically bombed police stations, destroyed police communications, and either stolen or disabled police cars.
What the Russian invaders are doing now in Ukraine follows this pattern. Ukrainian law enforcement plays a crucial role in resisting the invasion. They are adept at stopping infiltrators, dealing with snipers, and demining. In addition, when the power grid is down, they replace the air raid sirens, which warn people of imminent rocket attacks. They also play a crucial role as investigators in documenting war crimes.
In newly liberated areas, the Russians deploy highly trained snipers to slow down the Ukrainian soldiers. However, the Ukrainian police have special anti-sniper units. By pinning down the Russian snipers, the Ukrainian police make it possible for their military counterparts to continue pushing forward rapidly.
As the war in Ukraine rages on, demining, the process of clearing landmines from an area, has become a major function of the Ukrainian police. Recently, land mines killed four police officers in Kherson, and many others have sustained lifelong injuries, such as the loss of an eye or a limb. On top of that, unexploded ordnance is scattered all over the areas where Russian troops were stationed or attacked.
The Russians regularly leave behind mines disguised as teddy bears, dolls, or even soda cans. Some of the most sinister mines the police come across are ones that look like leaves. Because these “leaves” are plastic, standard metal detectors don’t find them. As policewoman Irina Pryanishnikova told me, “you won’t see them unless you’re looking for them.”
The “leaves” she’s speaking of contain 10 grams of explosives. “They won’t kill you, but they’ll rip your foot off,” Pryanishnikova said. The nonlethal amount of explosive is deliberate: These mines have no military purpose aside from creating mayhem and terror in the population. The Russian invaders prefer to cause lifelong injury rather than death. A person who is blind or has lost a limb may need lifelong care, adding to an already stretched medical system.
While in Kyiv, I experienced the air raid sirens several times. There’s typically around 30 minutes from the time a missile launch is detected to impact.
However, the air raid warnings in cities depend on electricity, and when the power system is knocked out, as it was for much of the frigid month of December, the sirens don’t work. Instead, the police drive through the streets, blasting from their loudspeakers, “Rocket attack imminent! Please proceed to the nearest bomb shelter!” When other infrastructure is depleted, a strong Ukrainian police force becomes all the more crucial.
The Ukrainian police also document war crimes. As Pryanishnikova pointed out, “as soon as an area is liberated, we move from town to town, village to village, documenting instances of attacking civilians, including rape, torture, and murder.”
Police experts collect forensic evidence, preparing for a time when those who have committed war crimes can be brought to justice. According to Pryanishnikova, the Ukrainian police have over 50,000 records of Russian war crimes. This number is constantly growing as more bodies are found and new facts are brought to light.
When the members of the Russian Federation invade a country, they prioritize attacking law enforcement, and they do it for good reason. The Ukrainian police, by carrying out their mission “to protect and serve,” are helping thwart the Russians’ efforts to take over their country.
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Mitzi Perdue is a Harvard graduate, writer, speaker, and author of the award-winning biography of Mark Victor Hansen, the Chicken Soup for the Soul co-author. All royalties for this book will go to supporting humanitarian relief for Ukraine.