In the face of reports of numerous civilian casualties in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Kyiv has accused Moscow of war crimes.
“Russia keeps attacking kindergartens and orphanages. Russia attacks hospitals. Russia is attacking mobile medical aid brigades with shellfire and sabotage groups,” Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UN, Serhiy Kyslytsia, said Monday at an emergency session of the UN Security Council in New York. These are not the files of a state with security concerns. “These are the files of a state determined to kill civilians. There is no debate: these are war crimes.”
The International Criminal Court had previously announced that it would launch official investigations into war crimes in Ukraine. That’s what chief prosecutor Karim Khan said on Monday evening in The Hague. The investigation will be launched “as soon as possible”. Shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week, the prosecutor said he was closely monitoring the situation.
According to Khan, the investigations initially relate to possible crimes committed before Russia invaded Ukraine. In view of the spread of the conflict, however, the investigation should also be expanded in his view. The court had already investigated incidents related to the crackdown on pro-European protests in Kyiv in 2013/2014, as well as the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014 and in eastern Ukraine.
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There is “sufficient basis to believe that both war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in Ukraine,” the chief prosecutor said. The investigation should focus on possible crimes committed by all parties in the conflict.
Ukraine is not a party to the International Criminal Court. However, in statements since November 2013, the country has accepted the court’s jurisdiction to try war crimes and crimes against humanity on its territory, according to the prosecution. Russia does not recognize the court.
The prosecutor must now first get a judicial approval for the investigation. It is unclear when that will be decided. Khan also called on states parties to support the investigation – including with financial means and employees. (dpa)
