Legal Methodology for Selecting Legitimate Targets during Armed Conflict

The selection of legitimate targets during armed conflict is an integral part of international humanitarian law, which aims to limit harm to the civilian population and protect civilian objects from random or unjustified attacks. The study aims to analyse the methods of selecting legitimate targets in armed conflict within the framework of international humanitarian law and identify shortcomings in the existing legal regulation of this process. To achieve this goal, the study used a combination of several methods, in particular, a legal analysis of existing international norms and principles of IHL, a comparative analysis of the application of these principles in different armed conflicts, as well as a critical approach to existing gaps in legal regulation. Using such methods allows for in-depth research into the issues and to identify weaknesses in the legal mechanisms governing the selection of legitimate targets in armed conflicts. The study showed that the principle of distinction, which requires a clear separation of military targets from civilian objects, becomes difficult to apply due to the integration of new technologies capable of simultaneously striking various targets without complete human control. In addition, significant legal uncertainty was found regarding applying the principle of proportionality in the case of using such systems, which is exacerbated by the lack of a clear legal basis for their application. The study indicates that the selection of legitimate targets in armed conflict should be regulated more by using autonomous weapon systems and other new technologies to ensure compliance with distinction, proportionality and military necessity. Since existing legal norms often do not consider the specifics of such technologies, it is necessary to create international agreements that regulate the use of autonomous weapon systems in war conditions, providing liability for unlawful strikes and decision-making without proper control.