**The Hidden Truth: How Russia’s Aggression is Erasing Ukraine**
A century ago, Pulitzer laureate Walter Duranty wrote a notorious line that has left a permanent stain on the reputation of The New York Times. “You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs,” he said, justifying the Soviet Union’s brutal suppression of Ukrainian freedom. The “omelette” was Stalin’s deliberate and monstrous campaign to exterminate Ukrainians, and the “eggs” were millions of innocent civilians who died as a result.
Duranty’s betrayal of truth and his readers is a stark reminder that even today, Moscow is once again trying to erase Ukraine from the face of the earth. Despite overwhelming evidence of war crimes committed by Russian troops since 2022, international media and institutions continue to rely on the UN’s official figure of around 13,000 civilian deaths.
But this number reflects only what can be double-confirmed, not what can be reasonably known. The true toll is far higher. Take Mariupol as a case in point. Before the war, it was home to nearly 450,000 people. After months of encirclement and bombardment in 2022, city officials estimated that 25,000–75,000 civilians had been killed. These numbers alone would eclipse the UN’s entire civilian death toll for the war.
However, they’re not reflected in official statistics. Mariupol is still under occupation. Independent investigators have not been allowed in. What happened there remains largely unrecorded. The same is true in every city still under Russian occupation in eastern and southern Ukraine, or towns that have been wiped off the map by the war.
**The Silent Suffering of Civilians**
Beyond direct killings, we must also consider the thousands of civilians who have died because of war conditions – lack of medical care, starvation, and attacks on infrastructure. These deaths are rarely included in the UN’s figures, but they’re no less the consequence of Russia’s aggression.
Entire towns have been cut off from power, heat, and water during winter. Hospitals have been deliberately targeted. Pregnant women, cancer patients, and the elderly have died simply because they could not access care in time. Thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been abducted, forcibly deported, or detained in Russian-controlled facilities – many tortured, many executed.
Their names are missing from official lists. Their families receive no information. These deaths are not just statistics; they’re human lives lost due to Russia’s aggression. It’s time to acknowledge the true scale of suffering and hold those responsible accountable.
**The Responsibility of Reporters**
In 1942, journalists who reported on the Nazi genocide faced criticism for speculation. Today, we face a similar challenge. Reporting war crimes requires courage and moral clarity. We must not be swayed by official undercounts or Russian propaganda. The truth is uncomfortable, but it’s our duty to report it.
As Kate Turska, a New Zealand citizen originally from Ukraine, said, “Defending truth requires moral clarity and courage.” Anything less is complicity by omission. Let us remember the lessons of history and stand up for the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.
**Read More**
To learn more about the undercounted victims of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, please visit [kyivindependent.com](http://kyivindependent.com)
