The War in Ukraine: Ukrainian Violations of International Humanitarian Law

• Post by: Marcelo Pena
• June 2, 2024
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Aida C Krzalic, University of Chicago

Abstract

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, focus has been on war crimes committed by Russian soldiers, a warranted attention given their overwhelming number. However, such blind focus allows Ukrainian war crimes to go unpunished, potentially damaging peace negotiations and post-war reconstruction. As a result, this paper uses human rights organizations’ reports, video footage, and the Geneva Conventions to analyze Ukrainian violations of hors de combat and civilian protections. It finds that victims of both violations have a right to legal restitution, but victims of the latter may have more difficulty obtaining it due to their claims being unorthodox.