Civilian resistance in Ukraine

The resulting devastation of civilian lives and livelihoods pose important questions about the existing conceptualizations of civilian harm mitigation and Protection of Civilians when applied to large-scale combat operations . But where these concepts tend to focus on state (military) actions and responsibilities, Ukraine has also seen the widespread involvement of civilians in resistance efforts, both of a non-violent and kinetic nature. This characteristic of the war deserves attention as it may emerge in other large-scale conflicts. This briefing therefore looks at resistance activities in Ukraine and certain associated protection risks, before discussing possible implications for states and the mitigation measures that they should consider.