JAKARTA - The advocacy group Human Rights Watch called on Ukraine on Tuesday to investigate allegations related to the use of thousands of anti-personnel landmines by its military, which were fired with rockets inside and around the eastern city of Izuum as Russian troops occupied the area.
Human Rights Watch noted it had also issued three reports last year accusing Russian forces of using anti-personnel mines in various regions across Ukraine since they invaded the country on February 24, 2022.
"Ukrainian troops appear to be deploying landmines extensively around the Izium region, causing civilian casualties and posing a continuing risk", Steve target, director of the Weapons Division at Human Rights Watch, told Reuters on February 1.
"Russian forces have repeatedly used anti-personnel mines and committed atrocities across the country, but this does not justify the use of these prohibited weapons by Ukraine," he continued.
Ukraine is a party to the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of Use, hoarding, Production, and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and its culling. Meanwhile, Russia did not join the convention.
Human Rights Watch said the use of anti-personnel mines also violates international humanitarian law, as the device cannot differentiate between civilians and combators.
In response to a question, Human Rights Watch said Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Oleksandr Polishchuk wrote in a letter dated November 24, that Ukraine is fully committed to all international obligations in the field of mine use, including "not using anti-personnel mines in the war."
Polishchuk told Human Rights Watch Ukrainian forces strictly adhered to international humanitarian law and the 1997 anti-personnel mine convention.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry echoed the sentiment, saying the report would be "well analyzed by the relevant agencies".
He added that Kyiv also expects the organization to increase pressure on Moscow to end its "criminal war against Ukraine".
The New York-based advocacy group said it had conducted research at Izium Ukraine between September 19 and October 9, interviewing more than 100 people, including witnesses to the use of landmines, landmine victims, first responders, doctors and Ukrainian deminers.
"Human Rights Watch documented the use of PFM mines in nine different areas in and around Izium City and verified 11 civilian casualties from these mines," he said on Tuesday.
"Nine areas were all close to where Russian military forces were stationed at the time, suggesting they were their targets," he continued.
To note, PFM is an anti-personnel mine that can be spread, commonly called a 'butter symbol'.
Human Rights Watch said Polishchuk did not respond to any specific questions about the use of PFM mines in and around Izuum, noting that "information about the type of weapon used by Ukraine... should not be commented on before the war ends."
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