ISW stresses that international humanitarian law prohibits targeting civilians

Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have reminded Russia that international humanitarian law forbids attacks on civilian targets and also prohibits indiscriminate attacks on both military and civilian targets.

Source: ISW

Details: Military analysts also reported that Russian sources were seeking to justify the strikes as attacks on military targets.

However, international law stipulates that even attacks on military targets do not justify indiscriminate collateral damage to civilians or civilian objects.

Russian forces struck civilian infrastructure in the Ukrainian cities of Lviv and Kryvyi Rih in another combined missile and drone strike on the night of 3-4 September.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia had launched 2 Kh-47 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles from MiG-31K aircraft over Tula Oblast; 2 Kh-22 cruise missiles from Tu-22M3 strategic bombers over the Black Sea; 6 Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95 strategic bombers from the airspace of Volgograd Oblast; 3 Iskander-K cruise missiles from the territory of occupied Crimea; and 29 Shahed-136/131 loitering munitions from the launch sites in Kursk Oblast.

Ukrainian forces successfully shot down 4 Kh-101 missiles, 3 Iskander-K missiles, and 22 Shahed loitering munitions. Additionally, six Shaheds failed to reach their targets, likely due to Ukrainian electronic warfare (EW) suppression, while another Shahed entered Belarusian airspace.

Russian missiles struck civilian targets in both Kryvyi Rih and Lviv, leaving civilians injured and dead.

Kryvyi Rih Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul stated that the Russian strike on Kryvyi Rih had injured six people and damaged a hotel in the city centre, residential buildings, four educational institutions and other civilian targets.

Russian missiles also struck Lviv, claiming the lives of 7 civilians, including 2 children, and damaging up to 188 buildings, including residential buildings, historical heritage sites, and schools.

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 4 September:

• Russia appears to be relying on several countries, including India, Serbia, and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), as part of its efforts to evade Western sanctions.
• Russian forces struck civilian infrastructure in Lviv City, Lviv Oblast and Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast during another mid-sized combined drone and missile strike on the night of 3 to 4 September.
• Ukrainian authorities are investigating another report of apparent Russian war crimes against Ukrainian soldiers.
• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on 4 September that Germany will provide 17 additional IRIS-T air defence systems to Ukraine by 2026.
• Ukrainian officials announced a series of resignations and appointments among senior members of the Ukrainian cabinet on 3 and 4 September.
• Ukrainian forces reportedly made marginal advances in Kursk Oblast amid continued fighting throughout the Ukrainian salient on 4 September.
• Russian forces recently advanced southeast of Pokrovsk and southwest of the city of Donetsk, and Ukrainian forces recently regained positions west of the city of Donetsk.
• The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to portray itself as suitably addressing its obligations towards Russian veterans of the war in Ukraine.

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