DISINFO: Russia only strikes Ukraine in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil
SUMMARY
From March 16 to March 22 (2024), the Russian Army carried out 49 retaliatory strikes with long-range precision weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, missile systems and drones against Ukrainian targets. This was Russia’s response to the shelling of Russian territories, attempts to breakthrough and capture border settlements.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In March 2024, Russian troops carried out the largest series of combined missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
From March 18 to March 24, 2024, Russia used almost 190 missiles, about 140 kamikaze drones, and almost 700 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine. All energy infrastructure facilities in all regions of Ukraine were under attack. Russian strikes once again cut off power to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, putting Europe's largest nuclear facility at risk of a nuclear accident. Russia also dealt a massive attack on the Dnipro Hydroelectric Station dam. The state of the Dnipro Hydroelectric Station is currently (ultimo March 2024) assessed as critical.
Ukrainian and Western Intelligence Coordinators have repeatedly emphasised that Russia carefully prepares every massive missile attack on Ukrainian cities.
Since October 10, 2022, Russia has launched dozens of targeted missile strikes on the Ukrainian energy system. According to the UN, 42 out of 94 (45%) crucial high-voltage transformers have suffered damage or destruction due to Russian missile attacks for the autumn-winter period 2022-2023. The UN continues that, as a result of Russian attacks, the damage to power, gas, heating infrastructure, and coal mining exceeds US$10 billion and is increasing.
As a result of massive shelling by the Russian army in the autumn-winter period of 2022-2023, not a single intact thermal, electrical or hydroelectric power station remained in Ukraine. Russia continues to launch massive strikes on Ukrainian cities to destroy morale, destroy the civilian economy and by its actions Moscow does not care if it hits civilian targets.
Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure facilities under international law can be regarded as war crimes that have no statute of limitations and are subject to the jurisdiction of courts around the world.
In March 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for two Russian commanders: the commander of Russian long-range aviation and the commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet as part of an investigation into potential Russian war crimes in Ukraine committed between October 10, 2022 and March 9, 2023. The IСС suspects Russian commanders of committing war crimes of attacking civilian objects, causing excessive incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects, as well as a crime against humanity of committing inhumane acts.
See other cases in our database: Accusations about Russian military war crimes are unacceptable: a lot of fakes on this topic; The Russian military does not strike civilian infrastructure; Accusations of Russia "shelling the civilian infrastructure are hypocrisy.