The international human rights organization Amnesty International confirms in its annual report that Russia is committing war crimes during its aggression against Ukraine. The document states that the number of civilian casualties, including children and the elderly, has increased due to the use of prohibited weapons, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and targeted strikes against peaceful residents.
This is reported by Kyiv24
“Civilian casualties, including children and the elderly, have risen as Russian forces have used prohibited weapons, incapacitated critical civilian infrastructure, and, according to available data, deliberately targeted civilians. In the territories occupied by Russia, repression against non-Russian identities has continued, with executions, torture, and other cruel treatment of civilian detainees and prisoners of war occurring.”
Human rights defenders report that civilian losses in 2024 were significantly higher than last year and often occurred far from the front lines. Russia continued to shell Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones, resulting in numerous casualties.
Attacks on Medical Facilities and Destruction of Energy Infrastructure
The report mentions that at the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, Russian forces inflicted serious damage on Ukrainian critical infrastructure facilities. In particular, on July 8, a cruise missile strike was carried out on the National Children’s Specialized Hospital “Okhmatdyt” in Kyiv, which is an obvious war crime. More than 100 people were injured in the attack, including children, and three individuals were killed. This strike was part of a broader campaign of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, including the killings of civilians in Kyiv, Dnipro, and Kryvyi Rih.
According to data as of May 2024, over 70% of Ukraine’s thermal energy infrastructure has been destroyed or is under the control of the occupiers, severely complicating the provision of essential services to the population.
Violations of Prisoner of War Rights and Repression in Occupied Territories
The report highlights the increase in cases of extrajudicial executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces. Video footage and reports confirm that at least 147 Ukrainian prisoners have been executed since 2022, with nearly 90% of them occurring in 2024. Some Russian politicians, including Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, have openly called for the execution of prisoners of war.
Ukrainian authorities have also documented human rights violations, including restrictions on freedom of speech and persecution of those who refuse military service for religious or moral reasons. Additionally, restrictions on the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and efforts to combat gender-based violence continue.
Overall, the report discusses the rise of authoritarian trends worldwide and the intensification of human rights violations, which raises serious concerns within the international community.