Russian Drones Deliberately Target Civilians In Frontline Areas - UN Report

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) That's according to a report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU ), seen by Ukrinform.

The use of short-range drones in frontline areas of Ukraine has intensified over the past year. Drones have become the main cause of civilian deaths and injuries in Ukraine, and in some months even surpassed casualty toll from missiles, artillery, and aerial bombs. The vast majority of such Russian attacks is recorded in territory controlled by Ukraine.

Some 89% of civilian casualties from short-range drones (334 killed and 2,353 injured) occurred as a result of Russian attacks in territory controlled by Ukraine. With 179 killed and 1,481 injured, Kherson region accounted for 62% of the casualties. Residents near the Dnipro riverbank, in Antonivka settlement and Dniprovski district of Kherson city, were particularly vulnerable, the report reads.

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The UAVs used in most attacks are known as first-person view (FPV) drones, the report notes. They are fitted with cameras that provide operators with real-time view of the terrain, allowing them to select specific targets and attack with exceptional precision.

The improved visibility provided by FPV technology should contribute to a more accurate assessment and verification of the military or civilian nature of a potential target. However, operators have used these weapons against civilians who have shown no signs of involvement in hostilities, the mission stresses. Documented casualties include civilians on bicycles, in private cars, buses, ambulances, on route of humanitarian aid deliveries or evacuations, while walking on a street, and in their own homes, the UN Mission said.

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The HRMMU concluded that such choice of targets violates fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, and some incidents may amount to the deliberate targeting of civilians, which constitutes a war crime.

These attacks have also exacerbated an already critical humanitarian situation, as government officials, medical personnel, and local residents are unable to move safely, meaning that civilians are unable to access essential services, humanitarian, and medical assistance. This has affected a wide range of human rights, including the right to life, food, an adequate standard of living and health care. Elderly people and those with disabilities have been particularly affected, as they tend to remain in frontline areas.

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The UN Mission stressed that resolute efforts are needed to protect civilians in frontline areas, and called for an end to targeted attacks on civilians using short-range drones. They added that human rights violations must be investigated and those responsible must be brought to justice.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the HRMMU condemned Russia's latest attacks on the country's civilian population, noting that none of the targeted facilities where people died were military ones.

Photo: wixstudio

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