Russia-Ukraine war sees rise in attacks on civilians, escalating war crimes

War crimes involving attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure by both Russia and Ukraine are on the rise in the ongoing conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently shared a video showing a Russian drone tracking and attacking a civilian man in Kherson, describing the incident as a "safari attack" by Russia.

The footage depicts a drone pursuing a street vendor in Kherson before striking him, causing injuries from shrapnel and a concussion, though he survived. Zelenskyy condemned these actions, stating, "We must all witness all evidence that Russia is going mad and that Russian soldiers enjoy killing and torturing people."

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We must all witness all evidence that Russia is going mad and that Russian soldiers enjoy killing and torturing people.

In response, Ukraine has also increased its attacks on Russian territory. A drone strike on a beach resort near Arkhipo-Osipovka on the Black Sea coast resulted in the deaths of three children and injuries to 40 others. Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilians.

Ukraine has also targeted Russian logistics warehouses, with recent strikes on three facilities resulting in five deaths. The attacks have increasingly focused on Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, which Ukraine claims is used to supply the Russian military. Ukraine states these strikes are part of a campaign to make ordinary Russians feel the reality of the war.

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Ukraine has carried out intentional attacks against civilians.