Russia is purposefully placing military facilities near civilian areas in the temporarily occupied Crimea in an attempt to deter Ukrainian strikes.
Points of attention
- Russia is purposefully placing military facilities near civilian areas in Crimea to deter Ukrainian strikes.
- Experts point to a violation by the Russian side of its own rules of application of International Humanitarian Law.
- Russian troops are using a nuclear power plant and schools as a cover for military equipment in the occupied territory of Ukraine.
- The Russian Federation's accusation of civilian casualties as a result of the attack on Sevastopol is politically motivated.
- The Russian military is irresponsibly deploying military equipment in civilian areas of Crimea, violating international standards.
Russia purposefully places military facilities among civilians
According to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), on June 23, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that Ukraine launched five ATACMS missiles with cluster warheads at Sevastopol. The invaders allegedly intercepted four rockets, but one deviated from the flight path and exploded.
The Russian Federation later accused the US of civilian casualties despite admitting that a Russian air defence interceptor caused the missile to deviate from its flight path and explode.
Footage released on June 23 purportedly shows civilians on a beach in Sevastopol during and after the missile was deflected from its flight path. Russian sources claim that cluster munitions fell on civilians near the beach in Uchuivka Park, north of Sevastopol.
The so-called "Governor of Sevastopol", Mikhail Razvozhaev, said that four people died as a result of the attack. Another 151 people were injured. Ukraine did not comment on the strikes in Sevastopol.
The Russian Defense Ministry's accusation against the US of civilian casualties is an attempt to deter the United States from providing further security assistance to Ukraine, analysts say.
Russian military bloggers actively criticised the Ministry of Defense and the Russian occupation authorities in Crimea for their failure to prevent the attack and provide sufficient protection for the "Russian civilian population". In addition, the sirens did not go off during the alleged attack.
Several media bloggers criticised the Russian authorities for their failure to detect and destroy all the missiles before they approached Sevastopol. In addition, there are no shelters near the beaches.
According to analysts, video footage and photos show that Russian troops have been deploying military equipment in civilian areas of Crimea since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, the occupying Russian authorities irresponsibly encourage Russian tourism to Crimea, using it as a rear bridgehead.
Experts suggest that the Russian military is probably purposefully placing military facilities near civilian areas in Crimea in an attempt to deter Ukrainian strikes. Recorded use by Russian troops of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and schools on the occupied mainland of Ukraine to cover Russian military equipment.
Russia is likely violating its own rules of application of International Humanitarian Law, which state that "military command should avoid placing military facilities in or near densely populated areas," the ISW notes.
Attack on Crimea on June 23
It will be recalled that on Sunday, the Russian military shot down a missile over the beach in Sevastopol. The occupiers stated that it "as a result of the impact of air defence equipment on the final section, deviated from the flight path with the detonation of the warhead in the air over the territory of the city."
According to the latest data, four people, including two children, died as a result of falling debris. Another 151 people were injured. Among the dead is the 9-year-old daughter of the deputy mayor of Magadan, Oleg Averyanov. "I will take revenge for every murdered child who suffered on this beach," he declared.
Residents complained that sirens were not turned on during the attack and wrote about closed storage facilities on the Internet.
