Continued attacks clearly targeting civilians

When we look at the time Russian troops start shooting and at what they aimed their bombs, we can only assume they are not so much interested in destabilising or minimising the Ukrainian troops.

Also that Russia would only be interested in saving the Ukrainians from Neo-Nazis and liberating the Donbas and Luhansk region seems to be a fairy tale we cannot believe anymore.

With their attack tactics early in the morning, the Russians want to surprise the sleeping Ukrainians and cause as many deaths among them as possible, because they have not woken up to take shelter in the shelters.

The type of targets also makes it clear that they are not so much interested in disabling military targets as in exterminating as many Ukrainians as possible. A real genocide is taking place that Europe cannot ignore.

This was made clear once again with the attack on a large shopping centre in a city far away from any military battlefield.

After they targetted a residential building and a Kindergarten in Kyiv on June 26, Kremenchuk had ten minutes after the sirens called for coverage, bombs fell on an area of more than 10 thousand square meters, where people came to provide themselves with their daily necessities.

A shopping mall is not exactly a place of any military or political value. Yet the missiles were aimed at such a large shopping centre, which can only indicate that the intention was to hit as many innocent civilians as possible.

According to President Volodymyr  Zelensky the strike on a mall in the city of Kremenchuk on June 27, was deliberate and is

“one of the most daring terrorist acts in European history.”

Unless the Russians are incapable of aiming their artillery correctly.

“Peaceful city, ordinary shopping center, women inside, children, ordinary civilians. This is not a mistaken hit of missiles. This is a planned Russian strike at this shopping center,”

Zelensky said.

On Tuesday exhausted rescue workers picked through the smoldering rubble of what had been a busy shopping mall in central Ukraine. The attack relatively far from the artillery battles at the front lines was a jarring reminder that Russia’s assault could arrive at their doorsteps at any time and that the Russians do not worry who is going to die.

More than 1,000 people were reportedly shopping or working at the mall when air raid sirens sounded, leading many to evacuate and helping to hold down the number of potential deaths.

As soon as the bombing stopped, people rushed to save those who were still in the burning building. Throughout the night, they worked to find survivors among the debris. But it was also possible to carry out several corpses.
So far, twenty deaths have been confirmed and at least 56 wounded have been taken away for treatment.

We may well wonder how many more times Russian troops will be allowed to commit war crimes before they are actually caught and punished for them. In Chechnya, Syria and now in Ukraine, they are committing one war crime after another without being punished. The international community seems to be watching and expressing indignation, but that is all.

The U.S. think tank said in its latest assessment that Russian military authorities continue to seek ways to replenish their increasingly exhausted force capabilities without announcing general mobilisation. The experts quote the U.S. and U.K. intelligence, which suggests that Russia is relying on retired officers and will need to start mobilising reservists to sustain its eastern offensive as its military casualties continue to mount. The institute has previously assessed that such reserves are unlikely to provide Russian forces with meaningful regeneration of force capabilities.

In a video address to G7 leaders, President Volodymyr Zelensky urged world leaders

“to do their maximum”

to end the war by year’s end, including by intensifying sanctions against Russia.

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Dutch version / Nederlandstalige versie: Voortdurende aanvallen die duidelijk gericht zijn tegen burgers

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