DISINFO: Russian forces did not fire at civilian objects in Odessa region
SUMMARY
Russian forces do not fire at civilian objects. The comment was given on the allegations that Russian forces had shelled residential buildings in Odessa.
Earlier, the Odessa prosecutor's office had said that 19 people had been killed in a missile attack on a residential building.
It was reminded that Russian troops do not attack civilian targets during a special operation, but target Army depots of the Ukrainian army, military enterprises and places where fighters gather.
Russian forces do not target civilian targets and civilian infrastructure during the special military operation. At the same time, they work on warehouses, military ammunition, enterprises where military equipment is trained and repaired, ammunition is stored, places where mercenaries, including foreign mercenaries and nationalist elements, are concentrated and trained.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in order to deflect Russian responsibility. This claim was made in the context of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Numerous photos and videos from the scene of the shelling in Odessa region, as well as eyewitness accounts, refute the claim that the targetted residential buildings were "military targets".
In the Odessa region, a missile attack was carried out overnight on the Belgorod-Dnistrovskiy district by Russian aviation Tu-22 aircraft, with three X-22 missiles hitting a residential building and two holiday resorts. There were at least 19 confirmed fatalities, including two children. Thirty-eight people were hospitalised, including six children and a pregnant woman. The first reports of Russian missiles hitting civilian targets in the Odessa region were published at around at 1 July at 2:00 AM. Later, as early as 6.20 AM, the first photos of the accident site were released by Ukraine's State Emergency Service. The photo shows a high-rise building significantly damaged on one side, with the ceilings of the floors destroyed. Videos that emerged later clearly show that one of the entrances to the building has been destroyed, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. Amateur video that emerged on the morning of 1 July also shows that the apartment building was punctured by a missile strike.
The high-rise building that was hit by a Russian missile is a civilian residential complex. According to Odessa Oblast Administration spokesman Serhiy Bratchuk, 150-160 people lived in the nine-storey building. A video from the scene of the tragedy, taken after the body search was completed, shows the surviving residents of the building. Full debunk at StopFake (German); (Russian)
The International Criminal Court has launched war crimes investigation over Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to multiple international media reports, Russian troops are regularly shelling and bombing residential areas, schools, kindergartens, hospitals, orphanages, churches and other civilian objects. They are also planting mines in cities. The Eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv has been the most damaged city in Ukraine.
Russian troops are reportedly also using cluster bombs which are prohibited by the Convention on Cluster Munition, as well as thermobaric weapons, which may be subject to prohibition by the Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons if used against civilian targets.
See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.