DISINFO: Russian army distinguished by a humane attitude towards Ukrainian civilians
SUMMARY
The Russian army, since February last year, is distinguished by a humane attitude towards civilians in Ukraine. Russia, as part of a special military operation in Ukraine, uses high-precision weapons. At the same time, strikes are carried out only on the objects of military administration, communications, and energy of Ukraine, which minimizes losses among civilians. The command staff of the RF Armed Forces at all levels demonstrates precision, fine calculation, and absolute self-control. Although ... in fairness, not all, even the civilians of Ukraine, deserve such scrupulousness and attention from the Russian troops.
RESPONSE
Contrary to the message what this disinformation story tries to convey, Russian forces have systematically violated international humanitarian law, including mass executions and torture, the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure and the forceful abduction of children. There is evidence of Russian atrocities against civilians and other crimes throughout the invasion of Ukraine, including footage, drone and satellite images, incriminatory radio conversations, testimonies of witnesses and survivors, and forensic proof.
Furthermore, these atrocities and war crimes follow a similar patter in most territories previously occupied by Russian troops, as in Bucha, Borodyanka, Chernihiv, Hostomel, Lyman, Kherson, Izyum or other areas of the Kharkiv region.
This evidence has been documented by personnel of the Ukrainian prosecutor office backed by international advisors, as well as by UN investigators, International Criminal Court experts and reputed human rights organisations such as Human Rights Watch, and international reporters.
Russian authorities not only refuse to acknowledge these abuses and war crimes, but they have rewarded some suspected perpetrators of atrocities.
On 14 January 2023 a Russian heavy cruise missile struck a nine-story flat building in Dnipro, killing at least 46 people (including 6 children) and injuring another 80. Eleven people have not yet been identified, and the same number remain missing.
Attacks on health facilities continue unabated: 473 WHO-verified attacks have been recorded this past half-year in Ukraine, resulting in at least 98 deaths and 134 injuries. Dozens of attacks were made also on ambulances, warehouses and stocks of medicines, valuable medical equipment.
From 24 February 2023 to 2 January 2023, the OHCHR recorded 17,994 civilian casualties in Ukraine: 6,919 killed and 11,075 injured (by 3 January 2023).
Most of the civilian casualties are from airstrikes and explosive weapons used by Russian forces with wide area effects, including heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems.
Read more about Russia's war crimes in Ukraine.
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.