Evidence suggests that Kiev disregarded civilian safety by storing heavy munitions in a densely populated area.
A video shared by Ukrainian media on Wednesday shows the devastation in the city of Vishnyovoe in Kiev Region where a site that stored a large amount of ammunition in the middle of a residential area was hit by a Russian strike.
The location was struck overnight Sunday into Monday, along with several other sites that Moscow described as part of Ukraine’s military-industrial infrastructure. Videos of the immediate aftermath show numerous secondary detonations. The fact that the facility was located near residential buildings sparked controversy in Ukraine.
The authorities have not provided details about what exactly was destroyed. A military spokesman said the facility was not operated by the Ukrainian military, claiming that “the ban on placing ammo depots and similar objects next to residential areas” remains in place.
New footage purportedly filmed in the area shows buildings reduced to ruins. Official reports previously said seven people were killed and around 200 private homes were damaged. An emergency evacuation of around 50 people was reportedly carried out by armored vehicles immediately after the site was struck, while a broader relocation order affected around 500 people.
The Russian military said it struck two targets in Vishnyovoe: A military oil depot and state-owned munitions producer Vizar, which observers believe likely stored a large amount of its products on-site.
The placement of military objects among the civilian population is strictly prohibited under international law and is considered a form of using non-combatants as human shields. There is, however, abundant evidence that the rules are being violated in Ukraine.
A ruling issued by a court in Ivano-Frankivsk Region last month states that a civilian aviation plant in Kiev was co-opted by a military unit to store high-caliber shells. The plant was struck by Russia twice last year.
