ICC investigating war crimes in Ukraine

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague opened an investigation into war crimes in Ukraine. Lithuania asked the ICC to look into Russian and Belarusian war crimes and crimes against humanity in the country.

Professor Karim Khan previously investigated possible war crimes in Ukraine between November 2013 and February 2014. He will now also look at what is currently happening in the country following the Russian invasion.

Khan wrote that there is reason to believe that war crimes were committed between 21 November 2013 and 22 February 2014, when anti-government demonstrations were brutally crushed. Over 100 people died. Ultimately, pro-Russian President Victor Yanukovych resigned. He fled to the east, where the Donetsk and Luhansk regions declared themselves independent. Since then, Ukraine has been embroiled in a civil war.

Ukraine is not a member of the ICC but has authorized the investigations. Ukraine itself went to the International Court of Justice on Sunday, also in The Hague. President Volodymyr Zelensky wants the United Nations' main legal body to rule on the invasion because Russia invaded Ukraine over valse charges of genocide.