On September 15, 2024, Russian troops attacked Kharkiv with six guided aerial bombs. One of them hit a high-rise apartment building where there were many people as it was a holiday.
The fire broke out between the 9th and 12th floors. According to the latest data, 41 people were injured, including three children. Rescue operations in the city continue, more than 25 people are in hospital, three of them are in serious condition. The clearing of the ruins continues, and the number of victims may rise.
Such airstrikes are part of an ongoing terrorist campaign waged by Russia against civilians in Ukraine. In the past week alone, the Russian military has fired more than 800 guided aerial bombs, 300 attack drones and about 30 missiles at various regions of Ukraine. These massive attacks on civilian infrastructure are aimed at destroying cities and suppressing Ukrainian resistance.
Considering Russia's continued aggression, senior NATO officials, including Admiral Rob Bauer, chairman of the Defense Committee, have supported Ukraine's right to self-defense, including strikes deep into Russia using Western weapons. "Such attacks are necessary from a military point of view to weaken Russia's ability to continue its aggression," the admiral noted. Strikes against strategic targets in Russia could seriously reduce its offensive potential and protect Ukraine from further destruction.
Bauer noted that the law of armed conflict gives nations a right of self-defense, which is not limited to their borders, if it is aimed at weakening the enemy. He also noted that the political side of these operations requires special attention, since the countries supplying weapons may feel responsible for their use, and discussions on this issue continue at the level of international negotiations.
The law of armed conflict (also known as international humanitarian law) governs the conduct of hostilities and protects non-combatants. One of the most important aspects of this law is the state's right to self-defense.
According to Article 51 of the UN Charter, every state has the right to individual or collective self-defense in the event of an armed attack, until the Security Council takes measures to maintain peace and security. This right is not limited by the country's borders, which allows states to defend themselves, including outside their territory, if this is necessary to defend against aggression and weaken the military potential of the enemy.
Thus, international law gives Ukraine the legal right to strike military targets on Russian territory if such measures are necessary to protect its sovereignty and weaken the aggressor's ability to wage war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to present his victory plan at a meeting with US President Joe Biden at the UN General Assembly. One of the key issues at this meeting will be the discussion of the authorization to use long-range Western weapons to strike military targets on Russian territory. Ukraine emphasizes that it will use these weapons exclusively for legitimate military purposes, according to the international rules of warfare.
Biden's decision to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons systems could be a turning point in the war, as it will allow Kiev to effectively attack critical military targets in Russia and thereby weaken its military potential.
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The situation in Ukraine requires immediate and decisive action from the Western allies. Russia's aggressive actions, including strikes on civilian infrastructure and civilians, require effective countermeasures. Only long-range weapons that allow hitting critical military targets in Russia can significantly weaken the military capabilities of the aggressor and stop the further escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Western countries must realize that the fate of Ukraine is inextricably intertwined with the fate of Europe. Russia's aggression threatens not only one country, but also the stability of the whole of Europe. Every day they delay with the necessary weapons only increases civilian suffering and strengthens Russia's position on the battlefield.