There has been evidence of the Russian military committing war crimes in Ukraine. Eliot Higgins, who happens to be the founder of the investigative journalism site Bellingcat, in a report by The Guardian said there was evidence of Russia causing “civilian harm.”
As per United Nations, intentionally targeting civilians or civilian buildings is considered a war crime under international humanitarian law. Also, attacks on military targets that cause excessive civilian casualties fall under the same category.
This is being done through the use of “cluster bombs in civilian areas”, claimed Eliot, by using credible video and stills of the conflict.
The evidence includes footage that has been collected. For instance, footage of an attack on a car park in Kharkiv has been described by a Bellingcat researcher as a cluster bomb strike.
It shows residents walking in a nearby park just as the bombs go off. The area in the footage appears to be residential.
Also read | LIVE | Ukraine war – Putin planning to proclaim Yanukovych as Ukraine president: Report
Further evidence of the use of cluster munitions has also emerged. This includes the remains of a rocket motor from a BMP-30 Russian cluster munition found on a road in Kharkiv.
There is also a video of a similar bomb part landing in Bucha, which is northwest of Kyiv.
Various NGOs have highlighted a kindergarten attack in Okhtyrka, which is about 60 miles west of Kharkiv.
Drone footage shows multiple blackened explosion spots. It also shows dead or severely injured people by the entrance.
Agnès Callamard, the secretary general of Amnesty International, in a report by The Guardian said, “There is no possible justification for dropping cluster munitions in populated areas, let alone near a school.”
(With inputs from agencies)
