Russia’s Attack On Kharkiv Constitutes A War Crime

According to foreign media reports, Amnesty International accused Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine on Monday, June 13th.

Russia killed hundreds of civilians in the northeastern Ukrainian city, Kharkiv through shelling operations and widely banned cluster bombs. The Russian army repeatedly used 9N210, 9N235 cluster bombs and scattered mines prohibited by international conventions in Kharkiv. Russian troops have been spreading cluster bombs indiscriminately over hundreds square meters and releasing dozens of small bombs or grenades in the air. Scatter mines combine the characteristics of cluster bombs and anti-personnel mines.

A report with the title “Anyone can die at any time” stated that the Russian army began a concentrated attack on the civilian area of Kharkiv on the first day of the invasion on February 24th. This has resulted in the death and injury of hundreds of civilians, which constitutes a war crime and may even constitute a direct attack on civilians. Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International’s Senior Crisis Response Adviser said the weapons should have never been used and that Russian forces must be held accountable for causing these horrific attacks.