How to make sense of Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian civilians
During a 12-hour period beginning on 5 May 2019, Russian aircraft targeted four hospitals in opposition-held areas of Syria, illustrating a chilling pattern of strategic cruelty. The first strike hit the Nabad al-Hayat Surgical Hospital in southern Idlib province, a major trauma center that had already been bombed three times since its establishment in 2013. In response, the hospital had moved to an underground complex to protect its staff and patients. However, the Russian pilots seemed to know exactly where to find it. Despite being listed on a UN “deconfliction” list designed to prevent such attacks, the hospital’s location was used by the Russian military to guide bombers to their targets.
The intention behind these attacks was clear: Russia was using the deconfliction system not to avoid harm to civilians but to carry out more precise strikes. A transmission obtained by The New York Times reveals a Russian pilot receiving exact coordinates before bombing the hospital. This act, while breaching international law, also showcased a calculated disregard for civilian life, reflecting a broader strategy employed by Russia in both Syria and Ukraine—attacking civilian infrastructure with the clear aim of spreading terror and exerting control through fear.
The brutality of these tactics is not an unfortunate byproduct of war but a core element of Russia’s military strategy. Similar attacks have been carried out in Ukraine, where Russian forces deliberately target civilian areas, further underscoring that cruelty itself is a method of warfare. The destruction of hospitals, schools, and residential areas is intended to break the spirit of the population and send a message: resistance is futile. This approach not only violates international humanitarian law but also reinforces the idea that for Russia, the cost of war is measured not in strategic gains, but in human suffering.
