On March 22, Ukrainian authorities reported a military attack by Russian forces on Kryvyi Rih, a city in central Ukraine. The head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, Oleksandr Hanža, confirmed the incident but did not specify the type of weapon used.
According to Hanža, an industrial infrastructure facility sustained damage, although preliminary assessments indicate that there were no casualties. Emergency services are currently on-site to assess the situation and mitigate any potential risks.
Russian military operations have included strikes on various Ukrainian cities, utilizing a range of weaponry such as drones, missiles, and multiple launch rocket systems. These attacks have been characterized by Ukrainian officials and international organizations as war crimes, highlighting their targeted nature against civilian infrastructure.
The Ukrainian government has expressed concerns that such assaults on essential services, including energy, heating, water supply, and medical facilities, are indicative of genocidal actions. Legal experts and human rights advocates argue that these actions align with definitions of genocide, citing statements from Russian officials that undermine the existence of Ukrainian identity.
Among the actions considered as potential indicators of genocide are public calls for the destruction of Ukrainians, systematic attacks on vital infrastructure, and the persecution of pro-Ukrainian individuals in occupied territories. Additionally, there are reports of efforts to erase Ukrainian culture by targeting educators and artists, as well as the forced deportation of children to Russia.
The 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide obligates its 149 signatory countries to prevent and punish acts of genocide during both 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, deliberately inflicting living conditions calculated to destroy the group, and public incitement to commit such acts. The Russian government, however, denies targeting civilian infrastructure and maintains that its military operations are conducted in accordance with international law.
A recent attack by Russian forces on Kryvyi Rih has raised concerns among Ukrainian officials regarding the targeting of civilian infrastructure. The incident is part of a broader pattern of military operations that have been classified as war crimes by Ukrainian authorities and international organizations.