- Title: Top U.S. general suggests Russian strikes on civilians are war crimes
- Date: 12th October 2022
- Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 12, 2022) (AGENCY POOL) FINNISH DEFENCE MINISTER ANTTI KAIKKONEN SPEAKING WITH NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG AND SWEDISH DEFENCE MINISTER PETER HULTQVIST KAIKKONEN SPEAKING TURKISH DEFENCE MINISTER HULUSI HAKAR SHAKING HANDS WITH STOLTENBERG, HULTQVIST CAMERAMEN HAKAR SPEAKING WITH UKRAINIAN DEFENCE MINISTER OLEKSIY REZNIKOV U.S. DEFENCE CHIEF MARK MILLEY SEATED U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD AUSTIN AND REZNIKOV SEATED NATO DEFENCE MINISTERS AND OFFICIALS SEATED REZNIKOV SEATED STOLTENBERG SEATED NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER EUROPE, CHRISTOPHER CAVOLI, MILLEY, AUSTIN AND REZNIKOV SEATED AUSTIN ADDRESSING MEMBERS OF THE UKRAINE DEFENSE CONTACT GROUP GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER CHRISTINE LAMBRECHT LISTENING GEORGIAN DEFENCE MINISTER JUANSHER BURCHULADZE, KAIKKONEN SEATED AUSTIN ADDRESSING OFFICIALS LAMBRECHT, BURCHULADZE, KAIKKONEN SEATED START OF THE MEETING
- Embargoed: 26th October 2022 18:15
- Keywords: Arm Bombing Conflict Defence Minister Invasion Kyiv Meeting NATO Nuclear Russia Shelling U.S. Defence Chief Mark Milley U.S. Secretary Of Defense Lloyd Austin USA Ukraine United States War Weapon general missile strike war crimes
- Location: Brussels, BELGIUM
- City: Brussels, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Europe,NATO,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA003179912102022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The top U.S. general on Wednesday (October 12) condemned indiscriminate Russian missile strikes on Ukraine that killed civilians, suggesting they met the definition of war crimes under the international rules of war.
“They have targeted the elderly, the women, and the children of Ukraine. Indiscriminate and deliberate attacks on civilians targets is a war crime in the international rules of war,†U.S. Defence Chief Mark Milley told a news conference at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels.
The comment came after Russian air attacks killed 19 people in Ukraine, wounded more than 100 and knocked out power supplies across the country, adding new urgency to Kyiv's long-standing calls for air defence to protect its cities.
Milley said the U.S. and other partners stood ready to help Ukraine “as much as it takes for as long as it takes."
Also taking part in the news conference, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin condemns Russian President Vladimir Putin's threat to use nuclear weapons but said there was no sign yet they would become a reality.
The gathering in Brussels is the first big NATO meeting since Moscow annexed several Ukrainian territories, announced a mobilization and issued veiled nuclear threats - moves that the alliance has classified as a clear escalation of the war that started with the invasion of Ukraine on Feb 24.
Moscow, which calls its actions in Ukraine a "special military operation" to eliminate dangerous nationalists and protect Russian-speakers, has accused the West of escalating the conflict by supporting Kyiv.
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