In the context of active hostilities on the territory of Russia, the Ukrainian army in the Kursk region emphasizes its commitment to international military standards. By entering the territory of Russia as part of the Kursk operation, Ukraine aims not only to fulfill strategic tasks, but also to clearly demonstrate its readiness to adhere to the norms and rules of warfare established by international law.
This is part of a broader narrative from Kyiv, which seeks to differentiate itself from the Russian way of waging war, as well as not to lose the support of its Western allies, writes Politico.
“It is important for us not to be like those who brought us war with looting and rape. I am very proud of our soldiers, that we have nothing like that,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, answering questions from Politico during a press conference in Kyiv last week.
Videos distributed by Ukraine show Ukrainian soldiers communicating with Russian civilians and bringing them food and water.
Anything that contradicts this narrative is a risk, the publication writes. This means that a Ukrainian missile that mistakenly hits a Russian school, or a soldier who kills a Russian civilian, will immediately turn in Moscow's favor.
At the same time, Russia does not face such restrictions; it repeatedly violated the laws of war during its invasion of Ukraine.
It violated the UN Charter by attacking a sovereign country and annexing part of its territory. It violates the Geneva Conventions in the way it treats civilians.
These include indiscriminate attacks on residential buildings, train stations, and shopping malls, as well as torture and mass killings in Russian-occupied territories, such as Bucha. Ukraine wants the International Criminal Court to hold Russia accountable for this.
The ICC has already issued an arrest warrant for Putin, saying he failed to stop the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.
“Today, Russia is committing three main types of crimes: a war of aggression, war crimes, and genocide,” Politico quotes the American non-governmental organization, the US Institute of Peace.
Photo by: State Emergency Service
The fact that Ukraine “fights by the rules” plays an important role in creating the legitimacy of the Ukrainian state and helps it gain military, diplomatic, financial and moral support from other countries, said retired Australian General Mick Ryan.
Occupying forces must “take all measures in their power to restore and ensure, as far as possible, public order and safety,” states Article 43 of the 1907 Hague Regulations.
Ukraine has established its first military commandant's office in Sudzh, but it is still unclear whether it will be able to effectively perform leadership functions in regions outside the city, where fighting is ongoing and control of the territory is changing hands, Politico notes.
“We do not have verified data, except for Sudzha, where it is obvious that it is under the control of the Ukrainian army, and this has been confirmed by visits by journalists,” the publication quotes human rights activist Andriy Yakovlev.
Humanitarian mission
Ukraine is trying to restore water supplies, and doctors are working in the territories it controls, where several hundred Russians still live, Vadym Mysnyk, a spokesman for the operational tactical group “Siversk,” which is responsible for the Kursk operation, told Politico.
“We are counting the number of people we will have to take care of. Many of them hid from us in the first days, but when they saw the humane attitude, they began to come out more and ask for help. We have special units that help them,” Mysnyk added.
Kyiv has allowed international journalists into the areas it has captured, released dozens of videos showing Ukrainian soldiers treating local residents humanely, and asked organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to come and monitor the situation.
More than 130,000 residents were evacuated from the Kursk region, and 20,000 remained, said the acting governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov.
Kyiv has called on Moscow to open a humanitarian corridor to allow local residents to escape, but the Kremlin has not yet responded, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told Politico during a forum in Kyiv last week.
The danger to civilians is becoming increasingly apparent as Russia begins to strike at Suja.
“Locals constantly ask why their army is bombing them so much,” Mysnyk said, adding that Ukrainians show them photos of Ukrainian towns, like Avdiivka, reduced to a wasteland by Russian attacks.
