Ukraine’s Intelligence: Russian troops shelled convoy of women and children in Kyiv region, killing 7

Valentyna Romanenko – Saturday, 12 March 2022, 19:25

Russian troops attacked a column of civilians moving along an agreed humanitarian corridor, killing some of them.

Source: Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence

Details: On 11 March, during an evacuation attempt from the village of Peremoha in the Kyiv region along an agreed "green corridor" to the village of Hostroluchchia, the occupiers shelled a column of civilians which consisted exclusively of women and children.

According to the intelligence report, seven people were killed in this ruthless attack, among them one child. The exact number of the wounded is currently unknown.

After the shelling, the occupiers forced the rest of the convoy to return to the village of Peremoha; they are not letting the civilians leave the village. At present, it is almost impossible to contact them or to provide humanitarian and medical assistance, according to Ukraine’s Intelligence Directorate.

Significance: The protection of civilians during armed conflicts is governed by international humanitarian law. In particular, the Fourth Geneva Convention concerning "The Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War."

Under these rules, deliberate attacks on civilians who are not directly involved in hostilities are tantamount to a war crime.