As Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its second year, the conflict has escalated into an increasingly contentious and brutal cycle of violence. A recent escalation in this trend came with Ukraine's largest-ever drone assault on Moscow, which sparked widespread condemnation from international observers and raised pressing questions about the limits of self-defence in modern warfare. While targeting an oil refinery was reportedly the primary objective of these strikes, civilian injuries and damage to private property have inevitably fuelled debates over the legitimacy of such actions.
Professor Christian Enemark from the University of Southampton has waded into this fray, arguing that Ukraine's strategy of 'morale bombing' – designed to intimidate Russian civilians and pressure President Putin to end the war – risks undermining the moral high ground in its own defence efforts. According to Enemark, deliberately targeting innocent civilians for the purpose of psychological warfare is inherently unjust, regardless of the military objective being pursued. He notes that Russia's repeated bombardment of civilian areas within Ukraine has already created a crisis of conscience among policymakers and scholars.
Enemark's critique highlights a critical distinction between combatants and non-combatants in the context of modern conflict – one that he believes both sides must acknowledge in order to uphold their own legitimacy. 'Two wrongs do not make a right,' Enemark cautions, urging Ukraine to demonstrate its commitment to avoiding deliberate harm against innocent individuals. He acknowledges that this challenge is particularly acute given Russia's initial aggression in February 2022 and the widespread targeting of civilian areas since then.
The UK Government has consistently condemned Russia's actions, providing significant military and humanitarian aid to Kyiv while aligning itself with international humanitarian law on the prohibition of targeting civilians. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) currently advises against all travel to Russia due to the ongoing conflict and heightened risk of arbitrary detention or harassment for British nationals, as well as suspended direct flights between the UK and Russia and severely limited consular assistance.
For Britain, maintaining a clear stance on international law and civilian protection is now more critical than ever as it seeks to uphold the principles of a rules-based order. As the conflict's trajectory continues to evolve, so too do the moral complexities at its core – underscoring the need for policymakers, scholars, and diplomats alike to engage in nuanced discussions about the limits of self-defence in modern warfare.