Some of the nations fight without scruple and do not obey the rules of war and this often leads to the death of innocent people. This also refers to the Russian army that fights in Ukraine, doctor habilitate of history Anatol Petrencu, chairman of the Association of Historians of the Republic of Moldova, stated in a public debate titled “Kakhovka Dam: Why are laws and customs of war powerless?”

“As I have read, I know that the democratic states have armies that are accompanied by jurists. When they start military operations, there are jurists who follow these operations and justify or do not allow particular military operations. The war practice regrettably shows that some of the nations fight without scruple and do not obey absolutely anything. This refers also to the tsarist army and to the current Russian army,” stated the historian.

Anatol Petrencu noted that the rules of war clearly say that the shelling of museums, liberties, maternity hospitals and hospitals is not permitted, but Russia ignores these rules in the war it is waging on Ukraine.

“We see with our own eyes and there are Ukrainians’ exhibitions showing how particular museums are destroyed and devastated, how libraries are set on fire, how maternity hospitals and hospitals are shelled. So, the Russians do not obey any of the rules imposed by democratic societies,” stated the chairman of the Association of Historians of the Republic of Moldova.

As to the possibility that Russia will use the nuclear weapon, he said that it is hard to make forecasts as this country does not obey the agreements to which it is a party. “Surely, it depends on the democratic character of the state and if the state obeys particular rules or is totalitarian and obeys absolutely nothing and is ready to push the nuclear button,” noted Anatol Petrencu.

He added that the law says a nuclear weapon is used against a country that also has a nuclear weapon. Ukraine does not have such a weapon and Russia should therefore not use this weapon. “I’m not so pessimistic and I consider that the Russians will not use the nuclear weapon,” stated the historian.

According to him, after the war in Ukraine comes to an end, many things will change on the international arena. “It is too early to say, but I’m absolutely sure that after Ukraine defeats Russia, a lot of things will change and even another international security organization can appear,” noted Anatol Petrencu.

The public debate entitled “Kakhovka Dam: Why are laws and customs of war powerless?” was the 13th installment of IPN’s project “Impact of the Past on Confidence and Peace Building Processes” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany.