In the early hours of May 26, Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine using two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 122 strike drones, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Preliminary reports indicate that by 08:30, Ukrainian air defense systems had intercepted or neutralized 111 enemy drones, including Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas, and others, across various regions of the country.
The military confirmed that nine drones and missiles struck 11 locations, with debris falling in three areas. The Air Force has warned that the assault is ongoing, with additional groups of Russian drones entering Ukrainian airspace.
Russian military forces have been consistently targeting Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure using various types of weaponry, including strike drones, missiles, and multiple-launch rocket systems.
Ukrainian authorities and international organizations classify these attacks as war crimes committed by the Russian Federation, emphasizing their systematic nature.
Attacks on essential services and healthcare facilities are viewed as attempts to deprive civilians of electricity, heating, water supply, communication, medical assistance, and other critical living conditions. Legal experts and human rights advocates argue that these actions could be indicative of genocidal intent.
During this large-scale conflict, various crimes against Ukrainian citizens have been reported that may fall under the definition of genocide. These include declarations of intent to destroy Ukrainians as an ethnic group, public calls for their extermination, targeted strikes on critical infrastructure, and persecution of pro-Ukrainian individuals in occupied territories.
Additionally, there have been reports of efforts to eliminate the intelligentsia, including educators and artists, who contribute to the preservation of Ukrainian culture. Educational institutions in occupied areas have reportedly been restructured to alter the identity of children, while children without parents have been deported to Russia in attempts to change their identity.
The 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide mandates that signatory countries, currently numbering 149, prevent and punish acts of genocide during both wartime and peacetime.
The Convention defines genocide as actions aimed at the complete or partial destruction of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. Indicators of genocide include the killing of group members, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately creating living conditions intended to destroy a group, preventing births within the group, and forcibly transferring children from one group to another.
The Russian leadership has denied allegations that its military deliberately targets civilian infrastructure, resulting in civilian casualties and the destruction of hospitals, schools, and energy facilities.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported a significant Russian attack involving ballistic missiles and drones, with ongoing threats to civilian infrastructure. Ukrainian authorities characterize these assaults as war crimes, raising concerns about potential genocidal actions against the Ukrainian population.