There have been more than 100 attacks on Ukraine’s grain and port infrastructure since February 2022. Read more at straitstimes.com.
THE HAGUE - Russian air strikes this week hit silos and shipping terminals for Ukrainian grain, potentially violating international law, which forbids attacks on resources essential to the civilian population.
The 1949 Geneva Conventions on humanitarian conduct in war and their protocols prohibit attacks on sites considered essential for civilians: “In no event shall actions against these objects be taken which may be expected to leave the civilian population with such inadequate food or water as to cause its starvation or force its movement.”
Senior lawyer Yousuf Syed Khan at the international humanitarian law firm Global Rights Compliance, which is working with Ukraine to document war crimes, said: The Geneva Conventions and additional protocols say that parties involved in military conflict must distinguish between “civilian objects and military objectives”, and that attacks on civilian objects are forbidden.
The Conventions say some infrastructure owned and used by civilians can count as a military objective, but only “objects which by their nature, location, purpose or use make an effective contribution to military action”, and whose destruction or capture “offers a definite military advantage”. Protocols to the Conventions from 1977 specifically say installations such as dams should not be attacked even if they are legitimate military objectives, “if such attack may cause the release of dangerous forces and consequent severe losses among the civilian population”.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Russia strikes Ukraine's Danube port, sending global grain prices higherKYIV: Russia attacked Ukraine's main inland port across the Danube River from Romania on Wednesday (Aug 2), sending global food prices higher as it ramps up its use of force to prevent Ukraine from exporting grain. The attacks destroyed buildings in the port of Izmail and halted ships in their tracks as th
Read more »
Russia hits Ukraine grain export route near RomaniaTurkey urged Russia after the port strike not to take steps that would escalate tensions. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Torture, sexual violence commonly used by Russian forces in Ukraine, say expertsAMSTERDAM: A large number of prisoners held in makeshift detention centres in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine were tortured and sexually violated, a team of international experts said on Wednesday (Aug 2) in a summary of their latest findings. The Mobile Justice Team, established by the international hum
Read more »
Ukraine hopes to hold peace summit this autumn: ZelenskyyKYIV: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday (Aug 2) he hoped a Ukraine 'peace summit' could be held this autumn, and that this week's talks in Saudi Arabia were a stepping stone towards that goal. Zelenskyy told Ukrainian diplomats in a speech published on the president's website that almost 40 c
Read more »
Ukraine says Russians fail to advance but are well dug inRussians are entrenched in heavily mined areas they control, said Ukrainian officials. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Zelensky says Ukraine strength dominates, top officers report progressSenior military officials report Ukrainian gains in the east, around the shattered Russian-held city of Bakhmut. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »