Russia is intentionally targeting Ukrainian civilians in its attack on the country, the US President alleged Wednesday, adding to mounting Western warnings of Moscow’s brutality as the human toll of the seven-day war creeps higher.
Despite the accusation, President Joe Biden stopped short of formally saying Moscow is committing war crimes, though his envoy to the United Nations accused Russia of preparing to use banned weapons, including „cluster munitions and vacuum bombs,“ in Ukraine. And she issued a stark warning to invading Russian soldiers. „Your leaders are lying to you. Do not commit war crimes,“ US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said during remarks to an emergency session of the General Assembly. „Do everything you can to put down your weapons and leave Ukraine,“ she implored. Her warnings reflected the growing fear among Western officials that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be employing brutal new tactics in his war after failing to advance as quickly as expected during the invasion’s earliest days. Russia’s bombing of civilian targets has intensified in the past days, sending death counts higher and leading to new fears for the capital Kyiv. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said Wednesday more than 2,000 Ukrainian civilians have so far been killed amid Russia’s ongoing invasion, though United Nations estimates have put that number much lower. The agency said some transport infrastructures, houses, hospitals and kindergartens have been „destroyed“ by Russian forces over the last seven days. Biden said it was evident civilians were being targeted by Russia.
