The Russian Defense Ministry accused Ukrainian troops of launching an ATACMS strike on occupied Sevastopol, resulting in civilian casualties, but analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on June 23 that Russia is deploying military equipment in civilian areas of Crimea.
The ISW cannot independently verify whether the Ukrainian Armed Forces actually used ATACMS missiles with cluster munitions to strike Sevastopol, as stated by Russian Defense Ministry. At the same time, the ISW points out that such accusations by Moscow are an attempt to keep the United States from providing further security assistance to Ukraine.
ISW experts also commented on the statements of Sevastopol Mayor Mikhail Razvozhayev that the strike allegedly killed four people and wounded 151 others, as well as numerous statements by Russian “military journalists” criticizing failures of the Russian military and local authorities to protect civilians.
Numerous footage and images show that Russian troops have been deploying military equipment in civilian areas of Crimea since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the ISW said in response to these statements. “Russian authorities have irresponsibly encouraged tourism from Russia to occupied Crimea during the war, while the Russian military continues to use the occupied peninsula as a rear area for its army,” ISW experts said. They argue that the Russian army is likely deliberately placing legitimate military targets near civilian areas in Crimea in an attempt to deter Ukraine from striking them.
Previously, Russian troops have also been documented using the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and schools on the occupied mainland of Ukraine to cover Russian military equipment. Therefore, Russia is clearly violating the norms of international humanitarian law, which it constantly declares and according to which the military should avoid placing military facilities in or near densely populated areas, ISW reminds.
“At the same time, the ISW points out that such accusations by Moscow are an attempt to keep the United States from providing further security assistance to Ukraine.”
You can read mafia land like a book. They have no answer to Western technology, so the best way to counter it is by launching a false flag attack, hoping the likes of Biden will hold up missile deliveries.
Hiding behind and amongst civilians during wartime is a methodology of the russians based on tradition, like mass rapes, mass looting, mass murder, mass torture during war.