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We are all outraged by the unprovoked and savage murder of Iryna Zarutska in North Carolina. I would not forward this article from The Hill about the murder and the Republican effort to direct blame, but for the repeated pointing out by the media that Zarutska was Ukrainian.
This gross murder would – certainly should – be news regardless of Zarutska’s nationality.
But to me, those references to this young woman being Ukrainian clearly bring to mind the thousands upon thousands of innocent Ukrainians being needlessly killed in Ukraine due to the savagery of Putin’s unprovoked war against Ukraine, and the war crimes involved in Putin’s official program to abduct Ukrainian children.
Zarutska came to the United States to escape Putin’s barbarism.
The point is, there are other Ukrainians – civilians, women, and children -- who are being senselessly killed, and since the Russian invasion began in 2014, we – the United States – have allowed ourselves to be self-deterred from giving Ukraine what we have always known they need to defeat Russia.
Announcing deadlines and threatening consequences are mere words. Our words are hollow – no actions follow.
Putin behaves as if President Trump gave him a license to continue his summer offensive, hoping for a Ukrainian collapse.
Yes, the “system” should work in such a way that Zarutska’s many-times-arrested murderer would not have been out on the streets of North Carolina. But, so too, should our government have long ago acted to give Ukraine what it needs to defend itself and our own clear security interests.
Zarutska would not have been on that train but for Putin’s war.
THE HILL
Ukrainian refugee killed in North Carolina becomes face of GOP crime crackdown
by Emily Brooks - 09/09/25 4:08 PM ET
The Hill’s online article included a video regarding the North Carolina murder. I inserted the cartoons. RAM
A Ukrainian woman who was brutally killed in Charlotte, N.C., last month has become the face of Republicans’ push on crime as President Trump plans to expand his federal crackdown to more cities.
Republicans this week have repeatedly brought up Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old refugee who was stabbed on a light rail train. Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, faces local and federal murder charges in the incident; security video shows him approaching her from behind.
And the GOP lawmakers are blaming Democrats for policies that they say enabled Brown, who had been in and out of prison for a decade and was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia, to be in a position to harm others.
“It’s infuriating. It’s heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking. It gives you a feeling in the pit of your stomach,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said at a press conference.
“This individual, Decarlos Brown is his name, was arrested at least 14 times,” Johnson added. “We don’t have to live like this. President Trump is proving that every single day in our nation’s capital.”
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) posted on social media that “Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies kept putting him back on the street,” while House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) said, “woke judges, DAs, and politicians run and govern on a platform that protects criminals while leaving innocent civilians to bear the consequences.”
“Now is the time for the shameless so-called leaders of blue cities and states to take a page out of President Trump’s playbook,” Emmer said in a press conference.
Multiple GOP lawmakers have shown photos of the young, blonde Zarutska on the House floor while talking about her case, including Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.), Rep. Daniel Meuser (R-Pa.) and Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.).
Republicans have also taken aim at Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes, who granted Brown’s release in January after a promise to appear for a future court date.
Every Republican House member from North Carolina signed a letter on Tuesday calling to remove Stokes over her handling of the case, saying she “displayed a willful failure to perform the duties of her office and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.”
“Her decision has undermined public confidence in the judicial system and exposed the community to wholly preventable harm,” the lawmakers wrote.
The case was brought to the attention of lawmakers after video of the brutal assault went viral on social media over the weekend, with lawmakers taking swipes at news outlets for lack of coverage.
“It’s completely avoidable tragedy that deserves the nation’s attention,” Johnson said. “For now, all we can do is pray for the family.”
Trump himself commented on the killing, as well.
“I just give my love and hope to the young woman who was stabbed this morning or last night, in Charlotte by a mad man, a lunatic,” Trump said.
[At least one of the Members talking about the Zarutska murder has consistently been against support for Ukraine. RAM]
ROBERT MCCONNELL
Co-Founder, U.S.-Ukraine Foundation
Director of External Affairs, Friends of Ukraine Network
The introduction is Mr. McConnell’s and does not necessarily represent the views of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation and/or the Friends of Ukraine Network (FOUN).