Amnesty has had investigators on site in Ukraine between April and July this year and believes that during that period the Ukrainian military repeatedly violated the laws of war.

Among other things, Ukraine has established military bases in civilian buildings, according to the organization's investigators.

In addition, Ukrainian forces have shelled the invading forces from schools and hospitals.

- The fact that the Ukrainian military is in a defensive position does not exempt it from the obligation to respect the laws of war, says Amnesty's Secretary General Agnès Callamard in a press release, but at the same time emphasizes that this does not justify the many Russian war crimes committed during the war.

"Perhaps had no choice"

Ove Bring, professor emeritus of international law at Stockholm University, believes that Amnesty's description is somewhat exaggerated and that it is not obvious that Ukraine has violated the Geneva Convention.

- It says that the belligerent state must

protect the civilian population by not establishing military outposts among the civilian population.

It is not certain that any other location would have been possible for the Ukrainian forces, says Bring.

Something that was also emphasized from the Ukrainian side after the report was released.

Professor: Clear war crime

Said Mahmoudi, also a professor of international law at Stockholm University, does not share Bring's assessment at all.

He believes that, if Amnesty's information is correct, there is no doubt that Ukraine committed serious war crimes.

He does not buy that Ukraine's military would have had to use civilian buildings.

- It is exactly the same argument used by Palestinians in Gaza.

It is not acceptable.

International law is very clear on that point.

Mahmoudi emphasizes that warring parties are obliged to protect the civilian population.

- No explanation can free Ukraine from this obligation.

It is a clear war crime, no matter how weak they are in relation to Russia.

In a post on Facebook, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded to the information.

He believes that Amnesty is trying to create a "false balance" by publishing the accusations.

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