Speaker A
Glory to Ukraine! I am Yevheniya Hordienko, and this is The Right to Know. We will continue talking about International Humanitarian Law.
Exploring the rule of proportionality in warfare under International Humanitarian Law, emphasizing professionalism, humanism, and minimizing collateral damage.
Key Takeaways
- Proportionality is a key rule in warfare to limit collateral damage relative to military gain.
- Collateral damage is sometimes unavoidable but must be minimized and justified by military advantage.
- Commanders must balance mission success with humanitarian considerations and legal obligations.
- International Humanitarian Law and moral principles guide conduct even in complex combat situations.
- Technology can help increase public awareness and understanding of the rules of war.
What the video covers
- The video discusses International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the complexity of combat operations beyond simple algorithms.
- Focus is on the rule of proportionality, which restricts collateral damage during military actions.
- Weapons must be used only for military purposes, but collateral damage to civilians and civilian property can still occur.
- IHL requires that expected collateral damage does not exceed the direct military advantage gained.
- An example is given of the elimination of 'Motorola,' where damage to civilian infrastructure was justified by the military advantage.
- Commanders must carefully assess risks and balance mission objectives with potential civilian harm.
- The video stresses the importance of not targeting civilians or civilian areas, even if the enemy uses civilians as shields.
- Moral responsibility and adherence to IHL are emphasized for commanders and their subordinates.
- Modern technology aids in spreading knowledge of IHL, such as the 'I Respect the Rules of War' app.
- The video encourages respect for the rules of warfare and confidence in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction to International Humanitarian Law
- 00:28Complexity of Combat Operations
- 00:42Rule of Proportionality in Warfare
- 00:55Collateral Damage Explained
- 01:51Limitations on Collateral Damage
- 02:18Example: Elimination of 'Motorola'
- 03:44Command Decision-Making and Risk Assessment
- 05:23Moral and Legal Obligations in Warfare
- 07:01Technology and Public Awareness of IHL
- 07:21Conclusion and Call to Respect Rules of War
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
It is impossible to put combat operations in the mathematical algorithm "If - then - otherwise." It is not only black and white; it is an incredible number of shades of grey, where it is important to combine the professionalism of a warrior and humanism.
Speaker A
So today we will talk about the next rule of war - proportionality. We have already said that weapons can only be used for military purposes.
Speaker A
But you should be aware that even if you follow this rule, "concomitant losses" or "collateral damage" can be inflicted.
Speaker A
This refers to injuries to civilians, death of civilians, or damage to civilian property as a result of the use of weapons by the enemy.
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Unfortunately, this happens in war. Although international humanitarian law does not exclude these losses, it imposes restrictions on them: during a military operation, one should make sure that the expected "concomitant losses" do not exceed the specific and direct military advantage.
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In other words - is it worth it or not? It is difficult to give a clear answer to this question because there is no single way to measure military superiority and "collateral" damage.
Speaker A
However, let's look at this situation by example. Remember the liquidation of the head of one of the Russian terrorist units, one "Motorola"?
Speaker A
He was liquidated by the explosion of the lift that he was using. Was there a realization then that there would be concomitant losses?
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Of course! The civilian infrastructure - the lift - will be damaged. However, in this way, a military advantage was achieved - the head of the unit of the Russian terrorist forces, a media odious figure whose image was used by hostile propagandists, was eliminated.
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In this case, military advantage, the elimination of the head of the enemy unit, justifies the "concomitant losses," namely damage to the elevator.
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Situation assessment of the decision-making process is one of the most important issues during which the commander must assess the risks arising from his decision.
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First of all, these are losses and damages that local people could suffer during the combat mission.
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It does not mean you do not need to fulfill the objectives. On the contrary, you need to consider other factors that could be caused when the mission is carried out.
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For example, civilian casualties, infrastructure damage, damages that could eventually pose a threat to civilians' livelihood, but at the same time, mission accomplishment must be taken into account.
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A compromise should be found, which is commandership craft. We, for instance, do not shell settlements or buildings with civilians.
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And even if the enemy knows that and uses civilians as a shield, we do not fire on him no matter how much we want to because war is war.
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But there is International Humanitarian Law that we must abide by, rules of war, and the moral the commander must respect, and therefore his subordinates must do the same.
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This compromise must be taken into account during any decision-making process. We live in the 21st century, and the development of information technology is not standing still.
Speaker A
To make international humanitarian law more accessible to the public, one humanitarian organization has developed an application "I Respect the Rules of War." We advise you to install it on your smartphones so that you always have the opportunity to improve yourself in the field of IHL.
Speaker A
Respect and follow the rules of warfare. Believe in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. To be continued.
Topics:International Humanitarian Lawrules of warfareproportionalitycollateral damagemilitary ethicscivilian protectionUkraine Armed Forceswarfare lawcommand decision-makingI Respect the Rules of War app
