The Russian military command, during the assault on the southeastern outskirts of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, on November 10, ordered its soldiers to use civilians as "human shields."
Points of attention
- The incident highlights the urgency of holding those responsible for war crimes, such as using civilians as human shields, accountable under international law.
- The ongoing investigation aims to establish all the circumstances of the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice, in line with the requirements of the Geneva Convention.
The Russian army continues to ignore the laws of war
According to the Security Service of Ukraine, it managed to document a new war crime committed by the Russian occupiers in the Donetsk region.
On November 10, the invaders tried to storm Pokrovsk, using peaceful Ukrainians as a "human shield."
Most likely, this war crime was committed by the 1st Motorized Rifle Battalion of the 506th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Russian Federation.
During the battle in the residential area, an assault group from this unit captured a local man, a woman, and a 13-year-old child. After that, this group received an order over the radio to use civilians to cover them in the event of fire contact.
The Russian invaders forced the victims to walk in front while clearing buildings in the city.
The SBU draws attention to the fact that the actions of the Russian army violate the requirements of Article 28 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and are qualified as a war crime.
That is why the Security Service has already initiated criminal proceedings under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (war crimes).
An investigation is underway to establish all the circumstances of the incident and the persons involved in it, in order to bring those responsible to justice.
