Assault in Kharkiv Inflicts Injuries on Over 50 Individuals; Thermal Barrel Bombs Allegedly Deployed by Russia
On the fateful evening of May 2, 2025, Kharkiv bore the brunt of a vicious attack by the Russian military, utilizing drones furnished with thermobaric warheads.
The outcome was catastrophic, with 51 individuals sustaining injuries, among whom were two underage girls aged 11 and 16.
In this attack, the enemy deployed at least 15 drones. The targeted districts of the city included Shevchenkivskyi, Slobidskyi, Saltivskyi, and Kyivskyi. The bombardment resulted in numerous fires across the city.
The prosecutor's office provided valuable insights on the employed thermobaric weaponry. Essentially, these weapons are designed to produce a massive blast wave and a cloud of high temperature, leading to widespread destruction and an increased risk of civilian casualties. Their use could signify a deliberate violation of international humanitarian law.
This brutal assault isn't a new development. Back in 2022, similar attacks occurred, with Russian forces launching strike drones at Kharkiv, resulting in 46 injuries.
In the context of international humanitarian law, thermobaric warheads are not explicitly prohibited, but their use is heavily regulated. Key principles include:- Distinction: Attacks must distinguish between military objectives and civilians.- Proportionality: The harm inflicted on civilians must not outweigh military advantage.- Prohibition of unnecessary suffering: Given their suffocation effects and extended thermal damage, their use may violate this principle as they cause excessive harm.
In the Kharkiv case, Ukrainian prosecutors accuse the enemy of deploying 15+ drones fitted with thermobaric warheads, damaging residential buildings, schools, and shops, injuring 50+ civilians, and potentially breaching Protocol I, which protects civilians.
If proven deliberate, the use of such weapons against urban areas could constitute a war crime under the Rome Statute. This series of attacks reflects a chilling disregard for civilian protection laws.
- The attack on Kharkiv in 2025, involving 15 or more drones equipped with thermobaric warheads, occurred in the Slobidskyi district, among others, leading to over 50 civilian casualties, including two minors.
- The general news and crime-and-justice sections of various media outlets reported on the temperature of the cloud created by the thermobaric explosion, which added to the destruction and risk of injury in Kharkiv.
- The dialogue between international politics and war-and-conflicts was dominated by discussions over the legality and morality of the Russian military's use of thermobaric warheads in Kharkiv, with concerns raised about potential violations of international humanitarian law.
- In Slobidskyi and other targeted districts, the impact of the thermobaric attack on casualties and property damages is under investigation by the general news and crime-and-justice sectors, with potential implications for war-and-conflict resolution and international politics.
- Following the devastating attacks on Kharkiv in 2022 and 2025, discussions surrounding the prohibition of unnecessary suffering and the proportionality principle in international humanitarian law have gained significant importance in dialogues on peace and justice.
