What if you were lying inside your small apartment making dinner for your family and then everything around you gets bombed by an airstrike? This is the lives of people all around Ukraine and Russia today.
Ukraine used to be part of the Soviet Union, but in 1991 the Soviet Union ended. Since then Ukraine, a part of the old Soviet Union, started their own independent country. Ukraine and Russia have been in a war since Feb. 20, 2014, when Russia took over and annexed Crimea, an island located in the Black Sea between Russia and Ukraine. Eight years later on Feb. 22, 2022, Russia started an invasion of Ukraine.
Since the invasion, lots of lives have been lost including civilians. Over 10,500 civilians and around 587 children have been reported dead since the start of the conflict in Ukraine. Russia has reportedly been attacking civilian populations around Ukraine. On Sept. 25, Russia airstrikes a market. This market was full of civilians going throughout their day just buying vegetables and any other of their needs. Six Civilians lost their lives because of that airstrike. Russia airstrikes a market full of civilians.
Three days later on Sept. 28, Russia released several drones which targeted a medical center. The first drone released killed one person. Sick and handicapped civilians had to run out of the building to evacuate but as this was happening Russia deployed another drone which took out several more people. Russia targeted a medical center with many civilians inside.
Wouldn’t these be war crimes? The answer isn’t as easy as saying yes because war is messy. The Rome Statute of International Criminal Court is a treaty that lays out the foundations of an International court system and International laws. Section eight of the treaty takes a stance on war crimes and what would not be allowed in war. There are several laws that prohibit the killing of civilians such as, “Intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population as such or against individual civilians not taking direct part in hostilities;” which is under section eight.
It also explains, “Attacking or bombarding, by whatever means, towns, villages, dwellings or buildings which are undefended and which are not military objectives;” both of these laws would confirm Russia is committing war crimes. Only 120 countries are a part of The Rome Statute of International Criminal Court excluding the United States, Russia, and Ukraine. But Ukraine has accepted their jurisdiction two times now.
Aid has been given from many countries including the United States. Many towns and cities in Ukraine have been devastated though. Just imagine you are sitting inside your house, a warm fire going, and you are making soup for your family. But then an airstrike hits your neighbors and you must go into your basement and take cover. This is the life of civilians in Ukraine.
