Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee across the Irpin River in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022.
Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee across the Irpin River in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022.AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
  • The British Ministry of Defence has said the Russian offensive is targeting civilians to try and "break morale."
  • The International Criminal Court is investigating Russia over possible war crimes due to civilian deaths. 
  • The U.N. human rights office on Saturday said 351 civilians have been killed but believe the toll is "considerably higher."

The British Ministry of Defence says that Russia continues to be surprised by the fighting strength of the Ukrainian resistance, and the offensive is targeting populated areas to "break Ukrainian morale."

While Putin initially said that his invasion of Ukraine would not target any civilians, but the offensive has since indiscriminately bombed multiple towns and cities, hitting hospitals, apartment buildings, and an orphanage. 

 

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced that it will be launching an investigation into Russia over possible war crimes resulting from Ukrainian civilian deaths. 

Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor for the ICC said "it is clear … directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects amounts to a war crime," the Guardian reported. 

"There is no possible justification for dropping cluster munitions in populated areas, let alone near a school," said Agnès Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International. "This attack bears all the hallmarks of Russia's use of this inherently indiscriminate and internationally-banned weapon, and shows flagrant disregard for civilian life."

The UN's human rights office  wrote on Saturday that 351 civilians (71 men, 41 women, 8 boys, and 4 girls, as well as 10 children and 217 adults whose sex is yet unknown) have been killed in Ukraine and 707 injured but noted they believe the real toll is "considerably higher."

Tweeting the update on Ukraine, the UK defense officials also stated that the advance of Russian ground forces has been undermined by Ukrainian attacks on its supply lines, and it is a "realistic possibility" that Russia is now attempting to conceal fuel trucks as regular support trucks to minimize losses.

There is no clear figure regarding the military casualties on either side. On Wednesday, Russian forces said that nearly 500 troops had been killed, but Ukraine claims 11,000 have died since the invasion began 11 days ago.

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