The left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht triggered a controversy with statements about the rape of Ukrainian women by Russian soldiers. There were thousands of reactions on social networks on Tuesday.

The ARD program "Hart aber fair" showed the fate of a raped Ukrainian woman on Monday evening. In a war of words with Green Party politician Katrin Göring-Eckardt, Wagenknecht then said that such attacks were "horrible and horrible" and then added: "It's part of the war, and it's not just like this in this war. Wars are always like that linked to war crimes." Goering-Eckardt loudly disagreed.

"War crimes are committed by both sides"

Wagenknecht continued: "The UN human rights commissioner has repeatedly pointed out, also in this war: war crimes are committed by both sides, and if you want to end them, if you want to end them, then you have to end this war." Moderator Louis Klamroth countered statements by the United Nations that there was no evidence of rape by Ukrainian soldiers and that rape was part of Russia's war strategy.

Wagenknecht then said: "That's not true." The UN has clearly stated that war crimes happen in every war. Klamroth countered by pointing out that it was about rape. Wagenknecht led rapes in Donbass by Ukraine's Azov battalion. The war of words ended inconclusively, but Wagenknecht said at the end: "I think it's just an insinuation to say that we don't care. I just think it's cheeky to accuse us of something like that."