Amnesty International accuses Ukraine of deploying forces in residential areas and Kiev expresses its anger

In a report on Thursday, Amnesty International accused Ukraine of endangering civilians by deploying troops in residential areas during Russia's war on Ukraine, while Kyiv likened the report to Russian propaganda and disinformation.

The report stated that the organization's researchers observed Ukrainian forces "establishing bases and systems of military operations" in some populated residential areas during visits to several areas on the fighting fronts in eastern and southern Ukraine between April and July.

"We have documented a pattern of Ukrainian forces endangering civilians and violating the laws of war by operating in populated areas," Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard said in the report.

The organization called on the Ukrainian government to ensure that its forces are deployed far from populated areas or that all civilians are evacuated from these areas first.

The report angered a number of senior Ukrainian officials.

"When there is no analysis of the actions of the enemy in a report on the activities of the Ukrainian armed forces during the war, it is like studying the actions of the victim without addressing the actions of a military rapist," said Hana Maliar, Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine.

Ukraine's presidential adviser, Mikhailo Podolyak, accused Amnesty International of "participating in the (Russian) campaign of disinformation and propaganda".

In separate statements to Reuters, he said Ukraine had literally complied with the laws of war and international humanitarian law and was "taking all measures" to evacuate civilians from the frontlines.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he was "outraged" by the release of this report, and urged Amnesty International to "stop creating a false reality".

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