One year ago, on September 6, 2023, the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka experienced a devastating day as Russian forces conducted two separate attacks on residential areas. The assaults resulted in the loss of three lives and left five individuals wounded.
Kostiantynivka, a city of approximately 70,000 residents as of 2021, is situated in the Donetsk Oblast, a region partially under Russian occupation. The city, known for its metallurgical and chemical industries, lies merely 14 kilometers from the active combat zone.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, the initial attack targeted a residential sector, claiming the lives of two elderly women. Subsequently, another residential area was struck, presumably by a self-propelled multiple rocket launcher system. This second assault resulted in the death of a middle-aged woman and injured five civilians.
The Donetsk region, part of the historical Donbas area renowned for coal mining and heavy industry, has been a conflict zone since 2014 when pro-Russian separatists declared independence. The situation escalated dramatically with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
"Russian troops shelled a residential part of the town, some 14 km from the active combat zone, and killed two elderly women."
It's important to note that Kostiantynivka briefly experienced Russian occupation in 2014 but was subsequently liberated by Ukrainian forces. The city now finds itself in the Ukrainian-controlled part of Donetsk Oblast, yet it continues to face regular shelling and airstrikes.
The United Nations has documented thousands of civilian casualties since the onset of the full-scale invasion. These attacks on non-military targets raise serious concerns about potential violations of international law, including the Geneva Conventions, which explicitly prohibit attacks on civilians during armed conflicts.
While Moscow consistently denies targeting civilians or civilian infrastructure in its military operations in Ukraine, the evidence of widespread destruction and loss of civilian life tells a different story. The International Criminal Court has initiated investigations into alleged war crimes committed in Ukraine during this conflict.
The ongoing hostilities have led to significant displacement, with millions forced to flee their homes since 2014. The destruction of civilian infrastructure in eastern Ukraine continues to pose immense challenges for the local population and humanitarian efforts in the region.
As the conflict persists, cities like Kostiantynivka, named after the famous military commander Konstantin Ostrožskij, bear witness to the devastating impact of war on civilian lives and urban centers once known for their industrial prowess.