More than seven months into Russia’s second invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces have established a clear pattern of targeting civilians and civilian spaces. Russian tactics include executing or forcibly deporting civilians in occupied territories, indiscriminately shelling populated areas, and bombing bus stations, hospitals and theaters. This pattern has continued even in the Russian retreat from eastern Ukraine, with Russian forces shelling public utilities as they move out of the region. This conduct likely constitutes war crimes and crimes against humanity but the question of whether it constitutes genocide remains open. Central to answering this question is establishing whether Russia has the intent to destroy Ukrainians as a national group, either in whole or in part.