Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reacted to yet another massive missile strike carried out by Russia on the territory of Ukraine on the night of April 16. The head of state emphasized that these actions are evidence that Russia does not deserve any easing of international policy or lifting of sanctions.
This is reported by Kyiv24
International Support and Urgency of Arms Supply
Zelensky thanked the countries that have already provided support in strengthening air defense, particularly Germany, Norway, and Italy, and stressed the importance of timely fulfillment of promises by international partners regarding the supply of missiles for air defense systems. The President instructed the commander of the Air Force to contact partners who had previously promised to provide missiles for the Patriot systems and other complexes, and he expects a report on the outcomes of these contacts.
“There are many political commitments from partners that have already been voiced but not yet realized. This includes commitments made in the ‘Ramstein’ format and on a bilateral basis. I instructed the commander of the Air Force to reach out to those partners who previously made promises regarding missiles for the ‘Patriots’ and other systems. I expect a report on the results,” he added.
Consequences of the Attack and Qualification of Shelling
According to the president, as a result of the latest Russian strike, in addition to casualties in various cities across the country, around 100 people were injured. In the morning, Zelensky listened to a report from the commander of the Air Force regarding the repulsion of the attack. According to official data from the Air Force, in the past day alone, 703 aerial targets were launched at Ukraine, of which 19 Kh-101 cruise missiles, eight ballistic missiles, four Iskander-K cruise missiles, and 636 drones of various types were destroyed.
Russian troops systematically use various types of weapons – strike drones, missiles, guided bombs, and multiple launch rocket systems – to attack Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure across all regions of the country. Ukrainian authorities and international organizations classify these shellings as war crimes of the Russian Federation, noting their targeted nature.
The shelling aimed at the population’s lifeline systems and healthcare facilities, with the intent to deprive people of electricity, heat, water supply, communication, medical assistance, and other necessary living conditions, exhibits signs of genocidal actions. During the full-scale war, Russia is committing acts against Ukrainian citizens that may fall under the definition of genocide, including: declarations of intent to destroy Ukrainians, public calls for destruction, targeted shelling of critical infrastructure, persecution and extermination of pro-Ukrainian individuals in occupied territories, extermination of the intelligentsia, deportation of Ukrainian children and attempts to change their identity, as well as destruction of cultural heritage.
The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, obliges member states (currently 149) to prevent acts of genocide and punish the perpetrators both during wartime and in peacetime. The convention defines genocide as acts aimed at the complete or partial destruction of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group as such. Among the signs of genocide are: killing members of the group, causing them serious bodily or mental harm, creating conditions calculated to bring about its destruction, preventing births within the group, forcibly transferring children from one group to another, and publicly inciting such acts.
The Russian leadership denies that the Russian army deliberately targets civilian infrastructure in Ukrainian cities and villages during the full-scale war, resulting in the deaths of civilians and the destruction of hospitals, schools, kindergartens, energy facilities, and water supply systems.