“I would like to focus on the likely reports that Russian military forces in Ukraine are repeatedly striking civilians, including medics and those who come to help those affected by the first strike.” The Russian government is following its example in Syria, where it has carried out dozens of such airstrikes, which have killed civilians, ambulance workers and aid workers,” Ukrinform quoted Ukrinform as saying at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council.
According to the diplomat, the OSCE Moscow mechanism in 2022 in the report, the experts noted “clear violations of international humanitarian law committed by the Russian military in the course of hostilities.” Recurring attacks on civilians, in particular in 2022, were examined separately. March 1 Kalibr missile strike on Freedom Square in front of Kharkiv Region State Administration.
Fires a second rocket at the rescuers
“Five to seven minutes after rescuers arrived, a second similar rocket hit the building. This means that rescuers and those injured in the first attack were deliberately targeted,” explained T. Hanway.
He added that evidence has since emerged that Russia has used such tactics to kill more than 90 medical workers, police and firefighters and injure nearly 350 civilians across Ukraine.
“It is worrying that Russia is increasingly using this type of attack. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said there had been a “particularly worrying pattern of such attacks” in recent weeks. Only in March and April. during repeated Russian attacks against first aid services, about 30 rescuers were killed and more than 20 were injured in Odesa, Kharkiv and Zaporizhia,” the diplomat complained.
T. Hanway emphasized that the violations of international humanitarian law committed by the Russians should not go unpunished and this Russian campaign against the civilian population of Ukraine should be stopped.
