Russian forces have targeted the food sources of Ukraine, including the agricultural harvests and water lines, to starve its people, according to a new international law report.
The report, led by international lawyers, looked into the war crimes allegedly committed by Moscow against Ukraine.
Russia Targets Ukraine's Food Sources to Starve Them
According to a report by CNBC, Russian forces who occupied Ukraine have employed tactics that specifically crippled the food lines in Ukraine. The international lawyers' investigation found that they targeted food lines, agricultural harvests, and water infrastructure to starve the country's population.
The report, released on Thursday, June 1, found that Russian forces have prioritized stealing harvests and destroying agricultural machinery. On top of that, the six-month-long investigation sheds light on how Russian forces allegedly blocked access to food and water supplies in areas under their control.
CNBC notes that the months-long investigation primarily focused on the city of Chernihiv in Northern Ukraine. The Ukrainian city has been under the siege of Russian forces for roughly two months.
A lawyer, Catriona Murdoch, an expert in starvation-related crimes, says the situation in Chernihiv is only the "tip of the iceberg in [President Vladimir] Putin's calculated plan to terrorize, subjugate and kill Ukrainian people."
The Global Right Compliance partner, Murdoch, further told CNBC that he believes that the findings of the investigation "certainly constitute a violation of international humanitarian law."
But for now, the Global Rights Compliance head of the starvation portfolio says they still need to gather more information and analyze them furthermore to confidently say such allegations.
Despite that, it is worth noting that Russia has maintained its denial of committing any war crimes amid the invasion of Ukraine. According to The Guardian, Moscow dismissed the Hague court ruling, accusing Putin of war crimes. It also dismisses any allegations, saying that they targeted civilians and critical infrastructure, such as food lines, in the midst of the conflict.
UN Warns of New Global Food Security Threat
Meanwhile, Associated Press reports that the United Nations (UN) has issued a new warning against a potential threat to food security across the globe.
The UN discloses that Russia is now limiting the number of ships entering the Black Sea ports to pick up Ukrainian grain.
The UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric revealed a concerning number of ships that have recently departed from the Black Sea ports. She says that the figures are down by half in May compared to the last month, or in April to be exact. Only 33 ships have left the Ukrainian ports.
