Russian War Crimes: Putin Under Investigation

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is an urgent crisis. Millions of innocent Ukrainian civilians are at threat of being killed by the Russian military. Please visit our Ukraine Impact page to submit donations for Ukrainian refugee children. Or, please directly contact our Sustainability Team.

THE WAR IN UKRAINE

More than three weeks have passed since Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, February 24, 2022, and Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has faced unexpected challenges. Ukraine was supposed to be secured in a 15-day blitz, with Russian troops suffering minimal losses (“How Russia’s Conquest of Ukraine Went Sideways”). However, Ukrainian troops and civilians have shown strong resilience, creating havoc for Russian soldiers. Video footage of Ukrainian citizens preparing Molotov cocktails and petrol bombs have made headlines. A Molotov cocktail is a makeshift incendiary bomb made with just a bottle of alcohol, a cloth, and fire. The ease of constructing this bomb makes the Molotov cocktail a very accessible weapon in warfare.

As of Sunday, March 6, 2022, 20,000 foreign nationals have applied to join the fight against Russia (“Foreign Fighters in Ukraine: Many Ready to Fight despite Little Experience”). However, the Ukrainian government has not provided data as to how many foreign nationals are actually in Ukraine. With the unforeseen setbacks Russia is facing, such as food shortages and the advanced Ukrainian military strategy, Putin has changed his approach. He has enforced terror tactics, such as missile strikes, aerial bombing and indiscriminate shooting of civilians. Furthermore, major cities, including Kharkiv and Mariupol, are in ruins. Kharkiv, located in the northeast, is Ukraine’s second-largest city and known for being the cultural, scientific and educational center of Ukraine. Mariupol is located along the coast in the southeast and played a key role in the industrialization of Ukraine. Ukrainians trapped in these besieged cities have no access to water, electricity, or heating. A humanitarian crisis is occurring in Ukraine, but Russia shows no signs of stopping.

RUSSIA’S ALLEGED WAR CRIMES

The United States and other allies from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have accused Russia of several war crimes. On Friday, March 4, 2022, a fire started after Russian forces shelled the Zaporizhzhia power plant, the biggest power plant in Europe located in southeastern Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the explosion of the Zaporizhzhia power plant could have caused destruction equal to six Chernobyls, the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster in 1986 (“Ukraine Nuclear Plant: Russia in Control after Shelling”). Although the reactors were not affected, world leaders have accused Russia of endangering the safety of an entire continent.

On Sunday, March 6, 2022, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed credible reports of Russian soldiers deliberately attacking Ukrainian civilians (“U.S. Is Collecting Evidence of Possible Russian War Crimes in Ukraine”). This report was made after Russia was suspected of using cluster bombs and vacuum bombs in dense areas with many civilians. Cluster bombs open up in the air, dispersing hundreds of smaller submunitions over an area as large as several football fields.

The Geneva Conventions outlaw cluster bombs for indiscriminately spreading munitions over a vast area, which poses a direct threat to civilians. Vacuum bombs use oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion, producing a significantly longer blast wave than a conventional explosive. Although vacuum bombs are capable of vaporizing human bodies, they are not prohibited by international law. Russia can be convicted of using outlawed weapons, but intent to kill civilians is hard to prove. Concrete evidence that shows Russia purposefully intended to drop bombs in a dense area to kill civilians is required.

WHAT IS A WAR CRIME?

A war crime is violating the laws of war that are set by international humanitarian treaties (“War Crimes”). Although there is no one single document in international law that codifies all war crimes, the Geneva Conventions of 1949 are the most well-known. The Geneva Conventions are a series of international treaties established in Geneva, a city in Switzerland known as a global hub for diplomacy, between 1864 and 1949. More than 180 states have become parties to the Geneva Conventions to lessen the effects of war on soldiers and civilians (“Geneva Conventions”). Violations to these conventions are settled by courts of the member nations or by international tribunals (“Geneva Conventions and Their Additional Protocols”). The conventions state that the willful killing, torture, or inhumane treatment of civilians are instances of war crime, along with the extensive destruction and appropriation of property. The use of outlawed weapons from the Geneva Conventions is also considered a war crime. Although the actual documents are much more specific, the primary concern surrounding the invasion of Ukraine is the willful killing of Ukrainian civilians.

ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE ICC

The International Criminal Court (ICC), located in The Hague, Netherlands, is a permanent international court dedicated to prosecuting individuals for the most serious crimes of international concern. Upon the request of 39 countries, the ICC has launched an investigation of Russia’s alleged war crimes in Ukraine (“The ICC Is Investigating War Crimes in Ukraine - Could Putin Be Indicted?”). However, proving intent to commit war crimes is extremely difficult. In 20 years, the ICC has only issued 35 arrest warrants and convicted ten people (“War Crimes In Ukraine? Here’s What Russia’s Been Accused Of And What Comes Next”). Even if the investigation does find evidence of a war crime and issues an arrest warrant, Putin would still unlikely be convicted. Connecting a sitting head of state directly to offenses committed by armed forces on the ground is a challenging task. Furthermore, for the ICC to convict an individual, they must be present in the courtroom. Hence, the likelihood of Putin being arrested and brought into court is very low.

THE FUTURE OF THE WAR

Currently, more than three million Ukrainians have fled the country (“Ukraine Refugees: Why the US Has Allowed So Few”). Many more are expected to follow, as Russian troops continue to shell encircled cities. Although the Ukrainians have put up an undeniably brave fight, military experts believe Russia will eventually overwhelm Ukrainian forces (“How Will Russia’s War with Ukraine End? Here Are 5 Possible Outcomes”). Once Russia has captured the capital Kyiv, the widely expected belief is that Putin will install a pro-Russian puppet government in Ukraine. If Russia prevails in Ukraine, strategists warn that an Iron Curtain could descend upon Europe once again, possibly sparking another Cold War. The Iron Curtain is a term that describes the political, military and ideological barrier which separated the Soviet Union from the West for the duration of the Cold War. Analysts also believe the West should not send troops to fight alongside Ukrainians nor implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine. This action would lead to direct confrontation between NATO and Russian troops, risking World War III.

Help Ukrainian Refugees

Please visit our Ukraine Impact page to submit donations for Ukrainian refugee children. The Ukrainian people are facing the threat of violent extinction at the hands of the Russian military. Innocent Ukrainian civilians, including the elderly and children, need urgent help. For direct questions, please contact our Sustainability Team. Thank you!

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