In a significant escalation of hostilities, Russian forces launched a ballistic missile and over 128 drones against Ukraine on the night of February 20. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that among the drones, approximately 80 were of the Shahed type.
As of 8:30 AM local time, Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted or neutralized 107 enemy drones, including various models such as Shahed, Gerbera, and Italmas, across northern, southern, and eastern regions of the country.
Military sources confirmed that the ballistic missile struck and 21 attack drones were engaged at 14 different locations, with debris falling in one area. This attack is part of a broader strategy by Russian forces, which have been employing a range of weaponry, including drones, missiles, and artillery, to target Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure.
Ukrainian authorities, along with international organizations, have classified these assaults as war crimes, emphasizing their deliberate nature. The strikes aim to disrupt essential services such as electricity, heating, water supply, and medical assistance, which some legal experts argue could be indicative of genocidal actions.
Legal scholars and human rights advocates note that the ongoing conflict has seen Russia committing acts that could fall under the definition of genocide, including public declarations to eliminate the Ukrainian identity and systematic targeting of Ukrainian culture and infrastructure. Specific allegations include:
- Statements from Russian officials denying the existence of Ukrainians as a distinct ethnic group.
- Deliberate attacks on critical infrastructure to deprive civilians of basic needs.
- Persecution of pro-Ukrainian individuals in occupied territories.
- Efforts to erase Ukrainian culture, including the targeting of educators and artists.
- Forced deportation of children to Russia to alter their identity.
The 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide obligates its 149 member states to prevent and punish acts of genocide during wartime and peacetime. The Convention defines genocide as actions intended to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
Signs of genocide include the killing of group members, causing serious bodily or mental harm, and deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to bring about a group’s physical destruction. Despite these accusations, Russian leadership continues to deny targeting civilian infrastructure, claiming that their military operations do not intentionally harm non-combatants.
Recent attacks by Russian forces on Ukraine, involving a ballistic missile and numerous drones, have intensified concerns over potential war crimes. Ukrainian officials assert that these strikes aim to cripple essential services, raising alarms about possible genocidal actions against the Ukrainian population.