Les forces russes ont apparemment utilisé des armes à sous-munitions contre des zones civiles de Kherson, en Ukraine, à au moins trois reprises depuis leur retrait de cette ville, a déclaré Human Rights Watch aujourd’hui. Ces incidents ont fait partie d’une série d’attaques ayant fait des victimes civiles à Kherson.

« Les habitants de Kherson ont survécu à huit mois d’occupation russe accompagnée de la crainte constante d’être torturés, simplement pour être ensuite été soumis à de nouvelles attaques indiscriminées, y compris apparemment par le biais d’armes à sous-munitions », a déclaré Belkis Wille, directrice adjointe de la division Crises et conflits à Human Rights Watch.

Depuis le 11 novembre, lorsque les forces ukrainiennes ont repris la Kherson, les forces russes ont attaqué cette ville à plusieurs reprises, à partir de l’autre rive du fleuve Dniepr. Au 25 novembre, ces attaques avaient déjà tué au moins 15 habitants, dont un enfant, et blessé 35 autres personnes, selon la directrice du conseil municipal de Kherson, Halyna Luhova. Ces attaques ont conduit de nombreux civils, y compris des patients du principal hôpital de Kherson, à évacuer la ville.

Des chercheurs de Human Rights Watch ont séjourné à Kherson du 20 au 24 novembre. Au cours de ces cinq jours, les attaques contre la ville se sont intensifiées.

Vers 12h30 le 21 novembre, une attaque apparemment menée avec des armes à sous-munitions a blessé trois personnes alors qu’elles marchaient dans la rue, dans un quartier peuplé. Un homme de 29 ans a déclaré qu’il se trouvait dans un bus qui était sur le point de s’arrêter dans la rue Universytetska dans le district de Dniprovskyi, directement au nord du fleuve Dniepr, lorsqu’il a entendu plusieurs explosions. Il est descendu et a vu une femme allongée sur le trottoir dans une mare de sang. Son pied gauche avait été arraché, laissant l’os exposé. Un homme dont les pieds avaient aussi été arrachés se traînait par terre. Le témoin a dit qu’il n’avait vu aucune force militaire ukrainienne a proximité. Andriy Dubchak, un photojournaliste, est arrivé quelques minutes plus tard et a décrit la même scène. Il a dit avoir vu des ambulanciers paramédicaux militaires et des policiers arriver pour emmener les blessés à l’hôpital, mais n’a observé aucune autre présence militaire dans cette zone.

Les chercheurs de Human Rights Watch se sont rendus sur les lieux le 22 novembre, et ont vu des traces de sang laissées par les deux victimes. Ils ont aussi identifié trois sites d’impact de munitions ; les schémas de fragmentation sur le trottoir étaient compatibles avec ceux d’une détonation de sous-munitions. Ils ont vu ce qui semblait être un ruban stabilisateur d’une sous-munition, de couleur blanche, près de l’un des sites d’impact. La disposition des traces de fragmentation laisse supposer que les munitions ont été tirées depuis le sud.

Depuis l’invasion à grande échelle de l’Ukraine, les forces russes ont utilisé à plusieurs reprises des armes à sous-munitions, dont l’usage est en soi indiscriminé, lors d’attaques qui ont tué des centaines de civils et endommagé des maisons, des hôpitaux et des écoles.

Les armes à sous-munitions explosent généralement dans le ciel et dispersent des dizaines, voire des centaines de petites sous-munitions sur une zone de la taille d’un terrain de football. De nombreuses sous-munitions n’explosent pas lors de l’impact initial, laissant donc sur le sol des « ratés » qui fonctionnent comme des mines terrestres. Les armes à sous-munitions sont interdites par un traité international auquel ni la Russie ni l’Ukraine n’ont adhéré. Quoi qu’il en soit, l’utilisation d’armes à sous-munitions dans des zones habitées par des civils constitue une attaque indiscriminée, en violation du droit international humanitaire.

Les chercheurs ont observé une présence militaire limitée dans la ville de Kherson ; la majorité des forces qu’ils ont vues dans la ville étaient des policiers exerçant des fonctions d’application de la loi.

Même en cas de présence d’un objectif militaire légitime, une attaque est considérée comme indiscriminée et illicite si elle recourt à des moyens de combat dont les effets ne peuvent pas être limités à des objectifs militaires. Compte tenu de la nature intrinsèquement indiscriminée des armes à sous-munitions et de leurs effets néfastes prévisibles sur les civils, leur utilisation à Kherson pourrait constituer un crime de guerre, et devrait faire l’objet d’une enquête

World Opinions – Human Rights Watch 

L’article Ukraine : Les forces russes ont apparemment utilisé des armes à sous-munitions contre Kherson est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

​The longer this war lasts, the higher the chances that it will spill over into Nato territory. Last night’s missile explosions that reportedly killed two people in the Polish village of Przewodów, 20km from the border with Ukraine, are testimony to a dangerous trend of miscalculation that could lead to escalation. As long as Russia continues its desperate tactic of missile barrages against civilian infrastructure, this risk is high.

But while attention is focused on Russia’s indiscriminate long-range strikes, and the emerging G20 and Nato reactions, Moscow’s position on the ground is weaker than it has been in months. The loss of Kherson last week was a major blow – to the point that even senior Russian commanders have acknowledged setbacks for the first time.

Kherson was a key strategic asset for the Russian invasion: it is a regional capital, an important Black Sea hub and home to a major shipbuilding industry. The region is also the location of the North Crimean canal, a major source of fresh water for Crimea. Russia’s advances in the south of Ukraine earlier this year were aimed at creating a land corridor to Crimea, asserting control over this important trade route and establishing a launch pad for the occupation of Odesa. Now, that is all in jeopardy.

Once Ukraine establishes its positions in the area it will be able to target northern Crimea and put further pressure on Russian supply lines in the south. ​The Ukrainian army is already attacking positions around the Kinburn Spit on the left bank of the Dnipro river. This could in turn put the Russian occupation of Melitopol and Mariupol at risk and ultimately render the isthmus of Perekop – the narrow strip of land connecting the Crimean peninsula to the rest of Ukraine – vulnerable. Perekop is the door to Crimea. This is significant for the outcome of this war, as it will further weaken Russian capacity to maintain control over the peninsula; Gen Sergei Surovikin, Vladimir Putin’s commander in Ukraine since early October, may need more troops to reinforce defences of Crimea, forcing the Russians to downsize the area of their military campaign.

The operation to retake the city was the result of a carefully planned counteroffensive – the kind of operation many analysts would have considered unthinkable just a few months ago. It began in September as Ukraine targeted bridges and ferry routes, cutting off Russian supply lines over the Dnipro river. The plan to trap Russian formations on the right bank worked. The Kremlin was forced to choose between retreating to save manpower and a part of its military equipment, or leaving both to capture or elimination due to lack of essential supplies and Kyiv’s growing firepower. It opted for the first.

The scale of the loss can be seen in official Russian communication: it is the first defeat officially acknowledged by the senior military leadership. As the only large regional centre captured by Russia without sustaining major destruction, Kherson was an important propaganda tool for Putin’s domestic audiences. From day one the Kremlin presented its “special operation” as a campaign to liberate Russian-speaking “compatriots” from Kyiv’s oppression. The annexation of four Ukrainian regions – including Kherson – after sham referendums in September was meant to bring these territories into the Russian fold permanently.

Putin insisted people in these regions were joining Russia for ever, and billboards reading “With Russia for ever” popped up on many streets of Kherson. Losing Kherson shows that for ever is a short-term notion, and that Putin is not infallible.

The Russian president himself has stayed silent on the retreat, trying to distance himself from failure. His propagandists, however, explain the “disastrous” turn of events with reference to the “unexpected” coalition of more than 50 countries backing Ukraine against Russia. To calm the panic, Putin’s frontman and deputy chair of Russia’s security council, Dmitry Medvedev, has declared that the land will be returned to Russian control. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov insists it is still part of Russia despite the retreat. This gap between rhetoric and reality will surely slowly sink in with the wider public in Russia. Combined with Russia’s staggering human and materiel losses to date, this will only increase pressure on Putin.

The G20 summit in Bali further isolated Russia, hitting its international reputation. Russian attempts to cement its own coalition in opposition to the G7 and fuel anti-US sentiments are failing. The global south is unlikely to stick with the losing side for long. President Zelenskiy’s appeal to world leaders provided a clear road map for ending the war: a withdrawal of all Russian forces and the return of Ukraine’s territories.

For Ukraine the liberation of Kherson is also a boost for continued resistance and evidence of the strength of its armed forces. It is further proof that Russia’s forces, the so-called “second army in the world”, are – at best – the second army in Ukraine. Since the start of the war, the overwhelming majority of Ukrainians have believed in their ability to repel Russian aggression. Victories such as Kherson reinforce that conviction.

Despite the celebratory mood, the Ukrainian leadership is cautious. Russia is still a dangerous adversary. Surovikin managed to preserve most of the approximately 30,000 Russian troops who were in Kherson. It is difficult to predict next steps, but the Kherson contingent will probably be redeployed to strengthen Russia’s presence in the eastern military theatre. Russians desperately need a victory and Donbas could now become their main focus. Taking control of the major railway hubs around Pavlivka and Vyhledar would enable the extensive and rapid supply of artillery munitions to the battlefield. Depending on the weather, the war could either continue at the current pace or, if it gets too wet, turn into a heavy artillery duel across large parts of the existing frontline.

For Ukraine to maintain and strengthen its current strategic initiative, western resolve and assistance remain key. Kherson is yet more proof that military aid to Ukraine is effective. Ukraine has liberated about 50% of the territory taken by Russia since the start of the war. A premature push for negotiations would allow Putin to consolidate his positions and mount new attacks.

Kherson proves that Ukraine can win this war. Video footage of local people greeting Ukrainian soldiers in surrounding villages and in Kherson’s central square speaks volumes. Old ladies hand out apples and abandoned bullets to Ukrainian soldiers; residents dig up Ukrainian flags hidden in glass jars in their gardens. Those flags flying again over Kherson must serve as a constant reminder that this outcome is attainable as we face new challenges in the months to come.

By Orysia Lutsevych is the head of Ukraine Forum at Chatham House – Theguardian

L’article Russia’s relentless strikes may escalate the war – but Kherson shows Ukraine is winning est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Ukrainian soldiers have been welcomed into Kherson by jubilant residents, after Russia said it had fully withdrawn from the key southern city.

Video showed locals on the streets, flying Ukraine’s national flag and chanting as Kyiv’s troops arrived.

Some sang patriotic songs around a large camp fire well into the night.

Kherson was the only regional capital taken by Russia after February’s invasion. The retreat has been seen as one of its biggest setbacks of the war.

Moscow said 30,000 personnel had been taken out of the area – as well as around 5,000 pieces of military hardware, weaponry and other assets.

The White House hailed what it called an « extraordinary victory », while Ukrainian President Zelensky called it an « historic day ».

But Ukraine’s foreign minister said the « war goes on ». Speaking in Cambodia on the sidelines of a summit of Asian countries, Dmytro Kuleba said: « We are winning battles on the ground. But the war continues. »

An evening update on Friday from the Ukrainian side said troops had pushed as far forwards as the western bank of the Dnipro river.

Images also emerged showing that the main river crossing – the Antonivsky Bridge – had partially collapsed. It remains unclear how the damage was caused.

The Russian troops who occupied Kherson are thought to be taking up new positions on the eastern side of the river.

A Kherson resident described his « overwhelming » emotions as people emerged singing and dancing onto the streets.

Alexei Sandakov revealed his full name to the BBC, having previously referred to himself only as « Jimmy ». He said Kherson was « free now. It’s different. Everyone is crying since this morning ».

He added that « everybody wanted to embrace » the arriving Ukrainian soldiers.

The city’s change of control followed a rapid Ukrainian counter-offensive in recent months, in which Kyiv said it had recaptured 41 settlements near Kherson.

In his evening address, President Zelensky said the people of Kherson « were waiting » and « never gave up on Ukraine ».

He added that residents had been working to remove « any traces of the occupiers’ stay » from the streets, including Russian symbols.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin denied the move represented a humiliating defeat.

For weeks, the Kremlin has regarded Kherson and its locality as its own territory, after running so-called « referendums » in four occupied provinces of east and south Ukraine.

These votes were widely discredited by the international community, and Ukraine kept up its efforts to take back the affected land.

Russia’s withdrawal from Kherson was announced on Wednesday by the country’s commander in Ukraine, who said it was no longer possible to supply the city.

Although there was little evidence of any Russian retreat on Thursday, Ukraine claimed advances of up to 7km on two axes as its troops pushed forwards.

Events continued to move quickly on Friday. Initial reports that the Russians had abandoned Kherson came from locals.

Crowds of flag-waving civilians were later filmed in Freedom Square, greeting Kyiv’s soldiers and chanting: « Glory to the Armed Forces of Ukraine! »

On Friday afternoon, Alexei Sandakov appeared to be still adapting to the new situation on the ground, commenting: « No-one is going to sleep tonight. »

The local television service in Kherson was also reconnected to Ukrainian broadcasts.

Shortly after 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT), a Ukrainian official said his troops were « almost fully in control » of Kherson, as well as the wider tranche of land to the west of the Dnipro river.

Troops were treading carefully amid fears of Russian traps, said Yuriy Sak, an adviser to the defence minister.

Mr Sak told the BBC that some enemy soldiers were believed to be lingering in the city, had cast off their uniforms and were trying to disguise themselves as civilians. He urged them to surrender.

He hailed Kherson’s recapture as a major win comparable to his side’s successful efforts earlier in the war to drive Russian troops away from other urban centres – namely Kyiv, Chernihiv and Kharkiv.

But he said he remained « cautious », citing the possibility of Russian retaliations, and referring to a missile attack in Mykolaiv earlier in the day, which allegedly killed at least seven people.

Mr Sak vowed to retake further territory from Russia, including land that has been occupied by the neighbouring country since 2014.

In Russia, the exit from Kherson has been played down by officials and styled as a « redeployment » – despite criticism from pro-war commentators on social media.

Mr Putin was notably absent from Wednesday’s announcement by the military that Russian forces were leaving the city they had snatched, virtually unopposed, in the early stages of the war.

World Opinions – BBC News

L’article Ukraine. Celebrations as Kyiv takes back key city Kherson est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.