Massive Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities show that the Kremlin is using the suffering of civilians as a tool of war. This is what military expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon writes in an opinion article for the British newspaper The Telegraph.
According to him, over the course of two days, Russian forces attacked a humanitarian aid distribution center, a hospice and a hospital. Up to 50 civilians were killed in the strikes, while dozens were injured.
The strike on the school in Komyshuvakha
The highest number of casualties was caused by a Russian guided aerial bomb that hit a school in the settlement of Komyshuvakha in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. According to the report, at least 43 people were killed, while more than 50 may remain trapped under the rubble.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attack as one of the largest mass killings carried out by Russia since the beginning of the full-scale war.
“The strike against civilians without any military objective is a war crime. This is yet another grim reminder that, for Putin, the suffering of civilians is not collateral damage but a tool of war,” de Bretton-Gordon writes.The final legal classification of a specific strike falls within the jurisdiction of investigative authorities and courts. In the article, the assessment that it constitutes a war crime is presented as the author’s position.
Strikes on energy infrastructure intensify ahead of winter
The expert also draws attention to Russia’s campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. In a single night, Russia launched 289 attack drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles. According to the report, this was the largest attack on Ukrainian energy facilities of the year.
De Bretton-Gordon believes the goal is to deprive the Ukrainian population of electricity, heating and normal living conditions, especially ahead of winter.
“If he cannot defeat the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the battlefield, Putin may try to intimidate and terrorize the civilian population in order to force it to submit,” the expert says.War of attrition
The analysis states that the Ukrainian army continues to inflict significant losses on Russian forces. According to de Bretton-Gordon’s assessment, total Russian losses are approaching 2 million people. He compares the current war of attrition with the scale of the fighting Europe has not seen since the First World War.
“Ukraine may be smaller in terms of numbers and weaponry, but it has repeatedly shown that determination, ingenuity and technological superiority can prevail over brute force,” the expert writes.
In his conclusion, he suggests that Russian society may eventually realize the consequences of Vladimir Putin’s policies and his attempt to pursue his imperial ambitions at the expense of an entire generation.
Sources: unian.net