DISINFO: Russia only attacks military targets and infrastructure in Ukraine
SUMMARY
Russian forces are responding calmly to Ukraine's drone attacks on civilians, striking only military facilities and infrastructure. The Russian army is carrying out targeted strikes on AFU deployment sites, energy, defense, and communication facilities. The Russian army does not attack residential buildings and social institutions. The Red Army is not violating international law.
RESPONSE
Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative, much used in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia has attacked civilian targets multiple times, including the city theater in Mariupol, residential buildings, schools and energy facilities. On 05 March 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against two Russian top officials considered responsible for “missile strikes carried out by the forces under their command against the Ukrainian electric infrastructure" between October 2022 and March 2023, which are considered war crimes.
According to data from the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), the number of civilian casualties caused by Russia's attacks has risen sharply in late 2023 and early 2024. In just 10 days, from December 29, 2023, to January 8, 2024, hundreds of people were killed or injured by drone and missile strikes.
On July 8, 2024, Russia fired at least 40 missiles into Ukraine, including at the largest children's hospital, Okhmatdet, in Kiev. This attack killed at least 38 people across the country, including 27 in Kiev, and wounded more than 100 others. The Kremlin attempted to blame Ukraine for the attack and disseminated various false claims.
Then, on July 9, 2024, the UN reported a high probability that a children's hospital in Kiev had received a "direct hit." The type of weapon and its trajectory indicate that the Russian army targeted the hospital, although the Kremlin denies this.
Denying war crimes and atrocities and trying to deflect any responsibility is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation technique. See other examples of similar disinformation messages in our database, such as claims that Russia wages war humanely and does not hit civilians, that Russia only attacks military facilities in Ukraine, that ICC falsely claims Russia strikes civilian targets in Ukraine, or that unlike Israel, Russia has respected international law in its military operation.