President’s Office slams Amnesty International for accusing Ukraine’s Army of endangering civilians

Read also: Russian troops in Kherson look for bomb shelters and scour for boats, Ukrainian intelligence says

Recently the organization slammed Ukrainian defenders for using civilian infrastructure as shelter from Russian shelling.

"Being in a defensive position does not exempt the Ukrainian military from compliance with international humanitarian law," said Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard.

Amnesty International claims “Ukrainian forces have put civilians in harm’s way by establishing bases and operating weapons systems in populated residential areas, including in schools and hospitals, as they repelled the Russian invasion that began in February.”

At the same time, despite these accusations, Amnesty International recognized that humanitarian law does not prohibit parties to the conflict from being in educational institutions when classes are not held.

In turn, Podolyak said that the threat to peaceful Ukrainians was coming not from the Armed Forces, which protect them at the cost of their own lives, but the Russian military, who are responsible for many of the most brutal war crimes.

“The only thing that poses a threat to Ukrainians is an army of executioners and rapists coming to commit genocide,” Podolyak wrote on Twitter.

“Our defenders protect their nation and families. People's lives are the priority for Ukraine, that is why we are evacuating residents of front-line cities.”

According to him, Russia is making every effort to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the eyes of Western societies and disrupt the supply of weapons, using the entire network of its agents of influence.

Read also: Ukrainian forces halt attempted Russian advance in south

“It's a shame that an organization like Amnesty International is participating in this disinformation and propaganda campaign," he said.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine